how i practice self love
ah, self love. something everyone loves to pretend like they are so good at when really, none of us are. it can be really difficult to practice loving yourself and your life on bad days.
i’m here to tell you that you are not the only one who struggles with this simple concept of loving yourself. i’m also here to tell you that once you learn how to do it, it makes all the difference in life. self love isn’t only about loving yourself physically but also loving who you really are. self love isn’t the same for everybody; we all show love in different ways.
the most important thing for me is taking time for myself. something so easy - but actually so hard in college. recently, i have been trying to distance myself from my phone at night. your phone can be very distracting and once you start scrolling on fb or ig, it’s easy to compare yourself to others. another reason i try to stay off my phone before i go to bed is because sometimes people just really stress me out. i’m the type of person that feels like i always have to respond to someone, especially when they’re having a bad day. what i’ve learned is, it’s important to focus on yourself first sometimes. i’m easily influenced by the attitudes of others; when i’m around negative people, i eventually begin to adopt the same type of mindset. i realize this is unhealthy which is why i’m trying my best to focus on my own thoughts and feelings before letting someone else impact that. the few minutes you have before going to sleep can be a very good time to meditate, which is another important thing to practice.
taking mental days are an obvious way to practice self love. if you love yourself, you need to prioritize your mental health too. take one day to just catch up. clean out your closet, organize your desk or finally wash your sheets. little things actually go a long way and can make you feel so much better. i try to take a mental day whenever i can afford it.
when i’m feeling down, i try not to fall into unhealthy habits. sometimes it helps to use sadness as a motivator. for example, instead of complaining about the way you look, go to the gym or make a new kick-ass diet. when i get into a negative mindset, i turn to yoga. yoga is something i recently started practicing about a year ago. i have seen some great results, physically and mentally, and it allows me to take time to myself, without worrying about anything. i love yoga because it is so challenging and makes you feel so accomplished and wholesome afterwards. starting or ending your day with a flow can really make an impact. it’s easily one of the best things i have ever done for my mental health.
confidence is a huge factor when it comes to self love. in order to love yourself, you have to be confident. if you think you look good, then say so! you shouldn’t be ashamed to be feelin yourself. i do a lot of things to try and feel better about my appearance. face masks, manicures, a hair cut, retail therapy or a quick trip to the gym can always help me. personally, i feel so confident when i have a tan/glow. i love to use a bronzing lotion after i shower because it doesn’t make a huge difference but it’s still enough to make me feel confident. you just have to find those little things that make you feel like the beautiful person you are.
these are just a couple things that come to mind when thinking of self love. there are so many things you can do to feel more confident but i hope this short list inspires you. everyone deserves to feel confident and happy in their own skin. sometimes i forget that i deserve love too. i often spend too much time giving all my love to others that i forget to save some for myself but i can’t let that happen anymore.
it’s time to make yourself a priority. you are enough.
