6 ways to love yourself.
We’ve all heard the cliche saying of “You need to love yourself”. It’s a bit of a trendy saying. Although this sentiment is very valid, does anyone actually ever explain how to accomplish this?
It’s important to note that self love is probably the most important form of love possible. You cannot genuinely love anything or anybody if you do not learn to love yourself first. The love you exemplify to yourself should always be your main priority. This is because it will help you find yourself and block out any negativity that you seriously don’t need in life.
However, achieving this isn’t an easy task. To help you tackle this challenge, listed below contains six ways that can help you love yourself.
Don't compare the timing of your life to others.
One way to love yourself is to not compare your life to those around you. Although social media has almost made it a visceral reaction to compare yourself to others, it’s super important to understand that everyone’s timing is different. Recognizing that your time will come one day will help ground you and stay optimistic about the future.
Avoid negative self talk, such as sentiments like “They bought their first house and I don’t even have enough for a down payment” or “My friend got engaged at 28 and I’m a single 31 year old”. Instead, flip the narrative by having a more positive lens regarding your circumstances; such as, “I’m working hard to save up for a down payment on a house” or “I’m so happy for my friend who got engaged, and I’m hopeful that the right person will enter my life at the right time”. Once you stop comparing yourself to others, you’ll soon adopt a more positive mindset that will help you love yourself.
Forgive yourself.
Learning to forgive yourself is a necessary component to loving yourself. We all make mistakes. We all go through life wishing we can rewind the clock and make different choices. However, harping on past decisions will only set you back in life. Learning how to forgive yourself will help you let go of regrets and allow you to move forward. When you realize that you did the best you could, or you made the best decisions in the moment, you will find yourself. You will make better choices in the future and learn how to apply the lessons you’ve learned in the future. Never neglect the power of self-forgiveness. It’s a key ingredient to loving yourself.
Be grateful.
Practicing gratitude is a very important ingredient to loving yourself. Once you reflect on all the things you are and should be grateful for, your outlook on life will change. You will begin to feel more positive. You will begin to feel more blessed. Sometimes in life, we tend to focus on the things we don’t have, as opposed to the things that we do have. This can be quite a toxic trait to have because you will always focus on aspects of your life that you are lacking. But, if you use that as motivation to change your reality, then that’s different and that can actually be advantageous to your personal growth. However, don’t forget to practice gratitude along the way.
Set boundaries.
Setting boundaries may sound harsh, but it’s actually not. Having the grit to set boundaries in life and with other people is paramount to loving yourself. It’s just a must. Being assertive with what you are willing to put up with and not willing to put up with shows others that you can stand your ground. This is important because you can exemplify courage, confidence and strength. Setting boundaries will prevent you from being a pushover, and ultimately not be in positions where you feel violated.
Sometimes being assertive actually helps you to love yourself.
Surround yourself with people whose values align with yours.
You truly can’t love yourself if you don’t love the people around you. Have a moment and reflect on the people you associate with. Are they kind? Are they ambitious? Do they treat others with respect? Are they positive? Are they uplifting? These are all extremely valid questions to ask. If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, then you should reassess that person. They probably don’t deserve a place in your life. Their values ultimately don’t align with yours, which could be holding your back in so many ways. Emancipate yourself from negative and toxic people, and surround yourself with positive and respectful humans.
Take breaks.
Life gets overwhelming. It goes through it’s ebbs and flows. It’s something we can’t ever avoid. Learning how to unwind and take a break is crucial to loving yourself. Don’t be afraid to take that time, even if it’s for 10 or 20 minutes during the day to watch a funny video or listen to an uplifting podcast. Although it may seem counterproductive to take a break, it actually is necessary to recharge and resurge a positive aura. Slow down and grant your body the luxury of a break. Prioritize that extra time throughout the day, and make it a daily ritual. You’ll notice that in those little moments, you’ll learn to love yourself deeply.
