I have found, to love your life, you must love yourself first.
First, years ago, I didn’t know how to achieve this. At 19 years old, in my first personal growth class, they talked about this concept.
I had never thought about it. Apparently, many people don’t know how to love themselves.
Therefore, they gave us an assignment to begin looking in the mirror each day, and say, “I love you.”
In the beginning, it was hard for me to do this. I would cry each time. As I began to pay attention to my life and the choices I made, it became easier.
Because I realized, to love yourself is a process, I became a bit more patient with myself.
As a result of writing about this in an article several years ago, it was picked up by “I am Enough” magazine.
Consequently, learning that this is not an easy thing to feel for many, I have chosen to help others learn to feel love of self.
To begin with learning to love yourself, you must be aware of these two things first:
- Your need to increase self-confidence
- Self-love does not come from external sources
Confidence and self love, are closely related. Actually, they go hand in hand. As one increases, so does the other.
To love your life and live in more joy more often, it comes from within. It comes from internally, not externally. When things are in alignment externally, sure it helps you to feel happier internally.
Only, when it comes down to it, happiness is an inside job.
The more you are living in integrity, honoring your word, and doing things you enjoy, your confidence grows.
Here are tips to help you love yourself:
- Daily affirmations. As you write down positive things about yourself regularly, this will help increase your self love. Look up daily affirmations that will be sent to you each day. There are many websites out there that you can subscribe to.
- Stop your negative self-talk. As you catch yourself calling yourself a name or you get irritated with something you’ve done, become aware you are doing this. Halt what you may be doing, take a deep breath, close your eyes and say something to yourself that is loving and positive.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. When you do, you will immediately lose your confidence. Know we are all unique and we all have our own gifts.
- Build on your own talents and strengths. Be aware of what you are good at and enjoy. Do more of them and share them with others.
- Practice self-compassion. We all make mistakes and have flaws. Find forgiveness for any you have experienced.
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Live in appreciation and gratitude. I speak a lot about appreciation and love being two of the highest vibrations on the Emotional Scale. As you live more in appreciation, your energy increases and you feel joy.
- Laugh more often. Humor is a feeling of higher vibration. It can help shift you quickly to feeling lighter and feeling better.
- Smile! It takes less facial muscles to smile than it does to frown. Smile at strangers. It feels so good! They may wonder what is going on for you.
- Reach out to others to talk and share what is going on with you. Whether it is something that feels good or not. Don’t go it alone!
- Set boundaries for your life. A lack of boundaries invites a lack of respect. People treat us the way that we allow. Boundaries ensure that we love ourselves enough to be around those who respect and care for us.
- Take care of you, physically, emotionally and spiritually. You are the only one who can make these choices and get into action.
- Be around good people. Spend time doing things you love to do.
- Lastly, remember you are loved. There are many who love you.
Due to consciously working on many of the things listed here, I do love my life and I do love myself. It’s certainly been a journey over the years!
My hope is for you to follow these tips and increase your love of yourself, as you enjoy your life!
Connie
PS. Here is the link I gathered lots of my information from. There is much more here to explore:
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