Defining Self Love
Self-love seems to have become a buzzword recently, and a topic broadly discussed amongst health and wellness experts/practitioners, bloggers, as well as normal conversations. Although it is a topic that’s brought up all over the place right now, most people do not truly, or fully, comprehend what it means. So, what is self-love then?
The best way to define self-love is a dynamic state of appreciation for, and acceptance of oneself. This state is based on actions that support the personal growth and development of the individual physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Self-love is not a state of feeling good. So, although a make-over sounds nice, or a shopping spree can make us feel good, and may be gratifying, they are not actions that actually help us develop and mature. The reason self-love means something different for each person is that we all may take different actions to encourage and support personal growth.
“Self-love requires you to be honest about your current choices and thought patterns and undertake new practices that reflect self-worth.” ~Caroline Kirk
If we take action, in ways that expand self-love within us, we begin to develop a much better appreciation and understanding of ourselves and experience interpersonal growth. As we begin to accept our strengths, along with our weaknesses, we will begin to feel less of a desire to explain away our current limitations and, perhaps, move beyond them.
“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.” — Buddha
Taking daily actions to build your self-love will allow you to develop a greater sense of inherent self-worth, develop greater self-confidence, be your true authentic self, and prioritize your own truth. The more love you have for yourself, the better prepared you will be able to deal with life’s demands in an effective and healthy manner. Furthermore, you will start to attract circumstances and people into your life that further support your wellbeing.
5 Steps to Turn Self-Love into a Habit:
- Be Mindful and Live with Intention: As you practice mindfulness, you begin to learn and create a greater understanding of your own wants and needs, as well as what you are thinking and feeling. This allows you to act on what is in your best interest, not what others want or are expecting from you. Graining greater clarity within yourself allows you to live with intention. Whatever your intentions may be, you will be able to make choices that support them.
- Be Kind to Yourself: We are often harder on ourselves than we are other people around us. Strive for progress, not perfection. We are all human after all, and we will make mistakes. You can take responsibility for your actions without beating yourself up. Forgive yourself and let go of comparisons. As long as you are learning and growing, there is no such thing as failure.
- Practice Self-Care: This is one that can be different for everyone. As you take better care of yourself, physically and mentally, you love yourself more. Nourish yourself daily with small, simple acts of self-care (quality sleep, nutrition, exercise, meditation, intimacy, spirituality, healthy social interactions…or maybe a facemask or just a nice relaxing bubble bath at the end of the day). Do something for you, that makes you feel good, every single day!
- Set Boundaries and Protect Yourself: Learning to set limits and boundaries can sometimes feel like stepping off into the unknown, however it is always well worth the effort. You will love and respect yourself more as you eliminate those things that deplete or harm you in any way. If there are people in in your life that take away your feelings of self-worth and self-love, find healthy ways to protect yourself from them.
- Ask for Help: There is nothing wrong with reaching out for some assistance from time to time. We work with people on this journey of love and acceptance every day. If you find yourself struggling, or just don’t know how, or where, to start, we are here to help you on your own personal journey to self-love, happiness and health!