Very recently, I posted an article which stressed the importance of loving ourselves; this post also featured 40 amazing self-love quotes. For those that want a slight reminder, in this article I stated that there were too many people out there who would rather be somebody else, than themselves. This is because we always focus on what we lack, as we strive to reach a level of perfection that doesn’t actually exist. As a result, we don’t appreciate and treat ourselves with the kindness and respect that we deserve. This leads to insecurity and lowers our self-esteem, which can result to a negative impact on our health and attitude.
How can you love someone else, if you can’t love yourself? Without self-love, we’ll find it difficult to love others because we simply cannot practice and express our love in the way we should. It also prevents others from loving us, because as human- beings, we tend to fall in love with those that gracefully accept themselves.
You are special, you are unique, you are beautiful and you should be loved by the world around you. However, the person that should be showing you the most love, is the most important person in your life – this is YOU! This isn’t to be confused with Ego; this is pure love from the heart that comes from accepting ourselves as we are. This isn’t always the easiest thing to do, especially when we don’t feel loved, or when we experience bad moments in our lives. Yet, there are a number of things you can practice daily, or even remember, that will help you reconnect with your Higher Self so that you can fall in love with your own existence. So without further ado, here are 23 simple ways to practice self-love:
1. Start the day with a positive thought
Always begin your day with a positive thought about what’s in store for you and about yourself. This sets the tone for the day ahead. Don’t be scared to compliment yourself – the key here is to raise your vibration so that you can attract more positive events throughout the day and generally feel good!
2. Surround yourself with positive people
This is might be a no-brainer but you need to keep yourself around the people who love and encourage you. They are the ones who will make you feel good at times when you really need it. They are also more likely to remind you how amazing you are. Also see: 5 Simple Ways To Live A Positive Life.
3. End toxic relationships
On the other hand, you need to stay away from the people who make you feel inadequate, or less than you truly are! Life’s too short to be around those that make us unhappy. If someone’s energy isn’t making you feel good about yourself, then they may not deserve a place in your life. Also see: 5 Simple Ways To Deal With Toxic People.
4. Stop comparing yourself
Remember why you exist… Not to be like anyone else or live their path, but to be you and stay true to your journey! The only person you should try and be better than is the person in the mirror! Also see: 5 Reasons Why You Should Always Be Yourself.
5. Recognise that beauty is from within
Not everyone is going to be attracted to the same person. You can ask random people who the most attractive person in the world is, and they’ll give you a variety of answers. This is because beauty is always perceived. Even then, most the people you see in magazines and editorials have been photoshopped or have had work done of some sort. No-one is perfect but we are constantly striving for this illusion of perfection.
6. Celebrate your achievements
Whether it’s something big, or even something tiny… Celebrate it! Everything that you’ve achieved in a positive way is something you deserve to be proud of, so give yourself a pat on the back!
7. Stop overthinking
The problem with overthinking is that we tend to create problems that never existed before. Your conscious mind can be great at analysing things too deeply and looking at them from the worst angle possible! You are often your biggest critic and this becomes apparent when we overthink. Just be positive and have faith that things will work in your favour!
8. Meditate
In relation to the point above, meditation helps big time! It’s the art of silencing the mind. Along with a large list of other health benefits, meditation will help bring calm into your life and help you listen to your soul, rather than your conscious mind. As a result, you’ll be able to think more clearly and you’ll start appreciating yourself much more!
9. Embrace your uniqueness
There are things that are very particular about you. These things give you identity and they make you different from everyone else. They make you special and stand out! That’s a blessing in itself, so start loving those things!
10. Stop trying to satisfy everyone
There’s only one way you can win when it comes to satisfaction, and that’s to satisfy yourself. So stop being a people-pleaser and start being a self-pleaser! There’s no way you can make everyone happy, and if you try, you’ll end up making make no-one happy, including yourself.
11. Listen to yourself
Your intuition is your soul’s inner voice. It’s often telling you what you truly want and what will make you happy. Be mindful of this gut feeling and use it to guide your actions and decisions. By staying true to yourself, you’ll experience more joy.
12. Treat others well
The energy you send out will come back to you full circle! It can be hard to treat others well when we don’t feel good ourselves, but you should always lead by example. Treat people the way you want to be treated. It will make you feel much better about yourself. If people don’t respond well to it, let them live with it; it’s not your problem.
13. Say nice things to yourself
It’s very easy to criticise yourself when you make a mistake or do something wrong. But you must remember that you can speak words into existence. Words are energy and they can affect us more than we think. So always be kind to yourself, and if you make a mistake, forgive yourself (see point 22).
14. Do more of what makes you happy
Is there a place that you go where you feel at peace? Are there particular songs you listen to that make you feel better? Is there an activity that keeps your mind occupied with happier thoughts? You should engage in those things more often, especially when you don’t feel too great. If you can’t physically be connected to those things, then use your imagination to visualise! Imagine every detail possible. Visualisation can recreate the experience as our reality!
15. Count your blessings
Make this a daily habit. We experience troubles and difficulties every day, but there’s always something to be thankful for. Raise your energy instantly by thinking of something you’re grateful for – even if it’s just for waking up to see another day! Also see: Instant Happiness: 90 Second Mind Hack.
16. Reach out to those that can make you feel better
It’s not always those that we are closest to that can make us feel better, it can even be strangers such as healers. However, the majority of the time, our friends and family are amazing at supporting us through difficult periods, so reach out to them!
17. Eat healthier
Fill your body will goodness – foods and fluids that truly nourish it! Avoid bad sugars such as chocolates and cakes as they can often give you a sugar-crash which will may kill your mood after a short energy-boost! Focus on consuming more things which are rich in vitamins and minerals – they’ll really make your body thrive!
18. Remember opinions aren’t facts
Everyone has an opinion and that’s fine! They’re allowed to have one. Remember though, that opinions aren’t facts, they’re just based on a person’s individual beliefs. So don’t let other people’s opinions form your beliefs. Believe in things that empower you!
19. Read positive material
Pick up a book, read an inspiring Twitter feed, look at positive images on Pinterest or Instagram, or anything else that will lift your mood or inspire you in some sort of way. This daily habit can make a massive difference to your general outlook in life, which will help you remain positive about things.
20. Forgive yourself
We all make mistakes in life! We all have embarrassing moments and do things we’re not proud of. But after a while, no-one cares apart from the very few that live in the past. Time passes, life moves on and so should you! So don’t dwell on those things that you didn’t get right. Also remember that most of our greatest accomplishments come from failing first. Sometimes we don’t know what’s right, unless we experience what’s wrong.
21. Follow your passion
Pursue the things you love, even if they seem scary and even if you have to leave your comfort zone. Soon after, you’ll not only love what you do, but you’ll learn a lot about yourself. You’ll also learn to appreciate your abilities and feel incredible for your achievements. Also see: How To Find And Live Your Purpose.
22. Get active
Whether it’s exercise or just some form of physical activity, it will help you release those feel-good hormones called endorphins, into the blood stream. They will help you reduce stress levels and generally keep you more positive. Being active really can lift your mood!
23. Be patient
Self-love is something that you need to practice daily. Just like any other true love, it also evolves over time. Don’t expect to be completely in love with yourself within 24 hours. Be patient, have courage and be kind… Always.
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
I really hope that this list helps you practice more self-love! If you have anything to add that will be of value to others, please leave your ideas in the comments section below! Also remember that sharing is caring, so use the social share buttons to spread something positive!
Author: Vex King
I am the founder and owner of the Bon Vita lifestyle brand. I could give myself a title and call myself a lifestyle entrepreneur, personal mentor, writer, designer, innovator, CEO, or anything else I see as fitting. However no title can define me as an individual. I’m just an optimist, a visionary, a philanthropist and jack of many trades. I’m using my positive influence to redefine the creative industries using Good Vibes Only #GVO so that people can fulfil their dreams, purposefully, and enjoy The Good Life #TGL. My daily words of intent are to make people… Think, look & feel GOOD!
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