4 Ways to INCREASE SELF LOVE IN YOUR LIFE

4 Ways to Increase Self Love in Your Life

In recent years, many of us have been bombarded with the terms “self love” and “self care” more often than ever before. And while it may seem that these are society’s new “it” words, the concepts and actions behind these phrases have long been around, and with good reason. Rather than just being good advice, studies have shown that people who intentionally practice self love and self care have increased the fulfillment of their dreams, develop happier and healthier relationships with others, show more compassion to those around them, and are more satisfied with their own personal growth in life.

But rather than just saying you love yourself or you believe in self care, these phrases are only truly fulfilled by completing an action. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are four ways to foster self love and more self care into your own life:

• Show Reciprocal Care – For many of us, showing care to others is easy and yet it is hard for us to show our selves that same care and kindness. Sometimes this behavior is fueled by society’s voice that thinking about yourself is selfish, but caring about yourself and thinking about your needs is not a selfish act at all. Don’t you deserve as much kindness, care, patience and gentleness that you would offer to your best friend or say, a child? Offering yourself this same level of care goes hand in hand with loving yourself and taking time for self care.
  Think about some of your basic needs? Are you taking time out for them? Maybe its focusing on getting better nutrition for your body, taking a day to rest, setting some time aside to exercise, taking a quiet bath, meditating or praying, or finishing that book you’ve been holding on to. Write down a few self care options that are appealing to you and your needs, and schedule a time to fit these into your busy life.
• Create Boundaries – Another way of practicing self love is by setting boundaries. Boundaries can be placed in a variety of areas in your life including physical and emotional boundaries. Know it is okay to set limits in your life and say “No” to people, activities, love, etc. that hurt you or deplete you in any way. Working with a counselor can help you determine how to set healthy boundaries in your life, or have a better idea of when boundaries have been crossed in the past. One you have created these new, healthy boundaries, speak up for yourself, letting others around you know what you will and will not allow.
• Offer Yourself Forgiveness – It’s no secret, human beings can be really hard on themselves, especially when they make a mistake. But mistakes in life can foster growth and help us learn. If you feel like you are punishing yourself because of a past mistake, remember that you aren’t perfect and that you have an opportunity to accept your humaneness in this moment, and show yourself some self love in this situation. All of us will make mistakes throughout our entire life – no one is exempt. Reminding yourself of how you have grown from the mistakes in your life and loving yourself through those situations can help you be less hard on yourself in the future.
• Be Intentional – Do you want to live a healthy life? Do you want to pursue hobbies that make you feel happy, feel like you are accomplishing your dreams? Do you want healthier relationships? Whatever the vision is for your life, you must be intentional in your thinking and your decisions in order to make these dreams a reality. By making a commitment to being intentional and seeing the outcomes that occur from this behavior, you will foster self love over time and will be more inclined to continue on this path.

If you have struggled with accepting yourself (and your mistakes), and showing yourself kindness and love, know you aren’t alone – this is one of the biggest struggles for many people! Acing self care and self love doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a retraining of our brain and being mindful in how we treat ourselves, how we punish ourselves when we make a mistake, and how much we are willing to make time for the things that bring us joy and peace.

Want to learn more? Reach out to LightMindCounseling today to learn more tips on how to bring more self love and self care into your life.

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