Self-love is a term that’s been thrown around a lot lately. When we talk about self-love, what we mean is the appreciation of yourself. In our fast-paced society, it’s easy to go through the daily motions. Even if those motions are making us unhappy.
One of the best ways of showing self-love is to take stock of the immediate world around you. Are you happy with where you are? If not, what would you change?
If you’re finding that you have no idea where to start, that’s okay. These are some things that have helped me in my self-love journey. And I know that they’ll help you live your best, bougie life too.
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1. Show Gratitude
There’s an old adage that says to count your blessings. It may be hard to think of it when you’re going through hard times, but there’s always something in life to be grateful for. You can think of a good friend, family member, or pet and think about how grateful you are to have them.
You can be grateful to have your senses. There’s gratitude in having a roof over your head and food on the table. If you look for the blessings in your life, you’re bound to find more.
When our lives are easy, we tend to be ungrateful. Even when times are good, stay grateful. This can be through journaling or taking a few minutes out of your day. Make time and notice what there is in your life to be grateful for.
Plus, according to a Harvard Health study, showing gratitude leads to greater happiness. If you find yourself in a rut, it’s an excellent place to start. After all, you have everything to gain.
2. Make Room
There are several ways to go about making room in your life. This could be the physical practice of decluttering. I was really put on to this concept after reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
It’s helpful to get rid of things that no longer serve us. Plus, we can think of the good it does to give our stuff to other people who could use it. According to a Berkley study, giving releases those feel-good hormones thanks to oxytocin.
Plus, you get the bonus of having a clean house. There’s something wonderful about coming home to a decluttered space. It can feel like we’re giving ourselves a fresh start.
3. Shrink Your Circle
There’s a quote that says that you’re the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. When you think of your social circle, your reaction is telling. If you’ve found a great, uplifting group of people, that’s amazing! But if you found yourself cringing at that quote, it’s time to let some people go.
It can be hard to have a fresh start when you’re held to an old standard or surrounded by toxic people. For example, let’s say you want to start a business. If your circle tells you that it’s a stupid move, it makes it harder for you to do what you want to do. There’s a difference between concern and people that outright put you down.
Some people never want to grow. And if you’re on a journey of loving yourself and leveling up, the truth is that not everyone is coming with you. It sucks. I get it. But you’ll never reach your full potential either if you’re being dragged down.
This doesn’t have to be a dramatic move. But stay busy and unavailable. Or limit your time with people that are less-than-supportive of you.
4. Find An Exercise You Love
Exercise is always a loaded term. But really, just find an activity you love doing that keeps you healthy. That can be anything. Dancing. Running. Swimming. Skating. Yoga. There’s so much to choose from and the benefits are numerous.
If you haven’t exercised in a while, that’s okay. Start small and work your way up.
I personally love yoga and thirty-day challenges. But you can find a thirty-day challenge for just about anything. I use Pinterest for this and type in ’30 day challenge’ plus whatever activity I’m looking to do.
If you find that you thrive better with accountability, there are gyms or studios with a trial period. Or, you can get on apps like Bumble BFF or MeetUp to find people that are doing what you love. You might even make some friends in the process.
5. Be Kind to Yourself
Are you kind to yourself? And I mean on the inside. Do you talk down about yourself, calling yourself stupid or dumb? Are you hard on yourself?
Having a mantra or affirmation can help every time you think something bad about yourself. Flip the script on your negative thoughts. If you find yourself being negative or hard, counter your thoughts by saying, ‘I’m doing the best I can’. Even if you don’t believe it at first.
Or even ‘I am successful’. ‘I am confident’. ‘I am getting better every day’.
After countering your own negativity, you’ll come to a place where you do believe in positive self-talk. That’s because these mantras or affirmations build new pathways in your brain.
It may feel silly or unbelievable at first, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. And neither were you.
Try these self love practices yourself and watch your life change for the better! If you have any self love practices that weren’t listed here, I’d love to hear what you’re doing in the comments. Share the love with readers like you.