If there’s anything we need more in this world, it’s love. Specifically, self-love. We’re constantly fed information to make ourselves feel like we need to change. We read articles on how to change our bodies or change our facial features with makeup. Constantly comparing ourselves and lives to others on social media. We’re having trouble dating because we put so much of our self-worth on the opinions of other people. This has to stop! It’s 2021, we’re learning to fully love ourselves this year! Are you ready? Keep reading to learn 15 ways to practice self-love!
Before we get into it: If you find this post helpful, and want to learn more about how to practice self-love, join my club, The Self Love Club. Each week you’ll receive a new emailed task to complete. Click here to get started!
Mind
Set out time each day for yourself.
Life can be hectic, give yourself time to think things through and decompress. It might be taking time during your lunch break, setting time aside before bed, or even getting up a little earlier in the morning. Yeah, ok I can see how some of you won’t like that last one, but you have to make time for yourself!
Eliminate stressors/ learn to say no.
You can’t eliminate all stressors, but some of them you can. Sometimes we agree to things we don’t really want to do, right? And then we stress about having to do/go to said things. Well, guess what? It’s totally fine to say no! Learn to say no to things that don’t bring you joy. Marie Kondo method your life!
Prioritize better.
I think we’ve all been there; you have a project you’re working on and your friends ask you to go out. What did you do? I’m sure some of you went out, right? And then you probably felt stressed out the next day. Right again? That’s because you’ve got your priorities all wrong! For example, I spend 30-40 hours a week on my blog because it’s important to me. Since it’s important to me, I don’t feel bad saying “No” to people. Going out won’t get my blog where I want it to go; hard work, determination, and passion will! Do you get what I’m saying? Also, side note: It is 100% ok that your top priorities don’t include other people. Do you, boo!
Stop procrastinating!
I’m guilty of it too, don’t worry, but procrastination is actually draining! You know you have something to do, but instead of actually doing it, you do other things and then worry about what you should be doing. Sounds stupid, right? THEN JUST DO THE DAMN THING! I don’t remember where I saw this, but I read a quote that said something like “Sometimes it’s not about relaxing. Sometimes it’s about taking action against the problem.” I could not agree more!
Talk to yourself the way you talk about others.
You wouldn’t say nasty things about the ones you love, right? Why are you saying nasty things to yourself. This is something I talk about in the Self Love Club, but it’s so important. What we think becomes who we are. If we think nasty things to ourselves, we become nasty to ourselves, and then nasty to others. Treat yourself the way you treat your best friend. For more help with this, click here to join the club!
Body
It isn’t about indulging.
Self-love isn’t about indulging all of the time. It’s about doing what’s best for your body. Sure it’s nice to have some cookies once in a while, but instead of drowning your sorrows into a bag of chips, cook those healthy meals! Your body will thank you!
Get active!
Your body needs it, no matter your body type. I’ve quoted this so many times, but once again, to quote the great Elle Woods: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t.” Ok, the shooting of husbands might not make sense if you’ve never seen Legally Blonde, shame on you, but the endorphins part is true; they make you happy! Even if it’s just a short walk, get that body moving!
Pamper yourself.
While this is more of a “self-care” tip, yes there’s a difference, it’s still essential for self-love. Why? Because you’re worth it! Get those nails done, get that hair done! But whatever it is you choose to do, make sure you’re doing it for yourself and not because someone else wants you to!
Focus on the things you love about yourself.
So many of us look in the mirror and pick out everything we hate about our bodies. It’s awful, and I won’t stand for it anymore! Do you love your eyes? Focus on those eyes! Do you love your stomach? Focus on that! I used to hate my calves haha, for real. One day a boy at school said they were huge and I held on to that. Do I still hate them? No! They might be big for my body, but man are they strong! That’s how I want you to think about yourself too.
Get dressed every day.
Sitting around in sweats, while super comfy, can make you feel “Blah” for lack of a better word. If you get dressed for the day, you’re more likely to get more done, get out of the house, socialize, and feel better about yourself.
Soul
Stop the comparison of yourself to others!
You are not them, and they are not you. They always say that comparison is the thief of joy and I fully believe that. I used to see people find love, get great jobs, look amazing, buy houses, etc., and it was so SOUL-SUCKING. I kept comparing myself to other people, and I felt awful about myself all the time! But I don’t do that anymore, do you know why? Because we’re all on our own journies. There’s no blueprint for how you should live your life or how quickly things should happen for you, and that’s the beauty of it! My journey is not your journey, as your journey is not mine. Once you realize that, you’ll feel a huge sense of peace.
Set boundaries with yourself and others.
Listen, the world is filled with different personalities. While we have to interact with them every day, we don’t have to let them into our lives completely. If you find the behaviour of someone else’s to be draining or hurtful, draw that proverbial line in the sand! This goes for EVERYONE in your life, yes, even family.
Surround yourself with positive like-minded people.
Do you have a dream or goal that people in your life don’t understand? Are you surrounded by negative people in your life? You need a change of scenery. Find people who have the same dreams or people who are supportive and positive. I’m so grateful for the positive people in my life! They lift me up, and I always come out of a conversation feeling invigorated, not drained. Positive people are good for the soul.
Be open to change.
If you’re reading this post because you need help with self-love, things need to change. A lot of people don’t like change, and sometimes I’m one of them; but if things don’t change, nothing gets better. If you can be open to it now, you’re golden.
Learn to let go.
Letting go is scary, I know, but how many of you are holding on to people and things that aren’t good for you? One of the biggest test of your commitment to self-love is learning to let go. Let go of those toxic people, places, habits, and things. You’ll thank yourself later!
Practice gratitude.
Gratitude is everything! If you think about all the things you are grateful for, instead of your problems, you’ll feel the difference in yourself. Gratitude is incredible for the soul and manifesting the life you dream of!
There you have it, the real ways to practice self-love! I hope this helped you in some way, shape, or form! If it did, leave a comment below and share it with a friend. If you found this helpful, or struggle with self-love, click here to join my self-love club! Feel free to also check out my last blog post about 10 Self Help Books You Need To Read!
xo Little J
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