love yourself journey kosten

Auf der Reise zu mir selbst!

Drei kleine Schritte

Wer hätte gedacht, dass man mit drei kleinen Schritten sein Leben verändern kann?

Bitte lest zuerst meinen Beitrag hier: YOU SAY GOODBYE AND I SAY HELLO…

Wenn es um das Thema Gesundheit, Fitness und auch Abnehmen geht klingt es immer als ob man jeden Tag 3 Stunden Sport machen muss und mindestens genau so lang in der Küche stehen muss um alles frisch zu kochen und am besten noch alles selbst im eigenen Garten anpflanzt oder oder oder.

Ja habe ich alles tausendmal gelesen und gesehen.

Aber mal ehrlich – Diäten sind eh zu 99% kurzfristig und man muss ja etwas bei sich selbst verändern, und zwar in einem Ausmaß, dass man auch den Rest seines Lebens durchhalten kann.

Weil was bringt es, wenn ich 3 Wochen lang Suppe esse, 5 Kilo abnehme und danach wieder jeden Sonntag bei den großen Fast Food ketten sitze? Genau – Garnichts.

Von daher war ich sehr neugierig, als ich auf Facebook von der Love Yourself Journey erfahren habe.

Alles was man in seinem Alltag anpassen muss ist:

1-2x täglich Powerfood

2-3 Liter Wasser

10 Minuten Workout

Und das ist etwas, das klingt für mich mehr als machbar. Gerade das Thema Sport ist etwas, was ich unheimlich gerne vor mir herschiebe. Doch es geht hier um 10 Minuten. Was sind schon 10 Minuten? Die sollte man wirklich irgendwo im Tag unter bekommen und wenn es morgens vor dem Zähneputzen ist.

Gleichzeitig möchte ich auch noch die Powerzwerge in meinen Alltag integrieren.

Diese unterstützen einen dabei auf einfachstem Wege die 10 Portionen Obst und Gemüse am Tag zu erreichen. Ich hab mich sowiso immer gefragt, wie ich so viel Obst und Gemüse in meinen Alltag integrieren soll, daher finde ich das eine super Möglichkeit dem Ziel näher zu kommen.

Nach dem ich nun so lange mit einer Erkältung gekämpft habe und sogar Antibiotika nehmen musste bin ich einfach so down, da muss sich was ändern.

Mit diesen kleinen Anpassungen soll es mir nach und nach immer besser gehen und ich soll fitter und aktiver werden. Es unterstützt mich darin, dass mein Köper mit allen wichtigen Nährstoffen versorgt wird und er dadurch einfach funktionieren kann wie er es soll.

Was will man eigentlich mehr?

Die Zeit, die man beim Essen sparen kann, kann man ja in den Sport investieren 😀

Für mich klingt das alles nach einer Win-Win Situation, doch ich bin von Natur aus auch immer skeptisch, wenn was im Internet beworben wird. Ich habe hier aber so viele positive Berichte gelesen, dass ich dem ganzen einfach eine Chance geben will und ich werde euch hier berichten, wie es läuft. Den Personen geht es nicht nur körperlich, sondern auch seelisch besser und das zu Lesen ist so motivierend und mitreisend, dass ich wirklich Hoffnung in die Love Yourself Journey stecke. Ich hoffe einfach sehr, dass es mich meinen Zielen näher bringt, dass ich mich in meinem Körper wieder zu Hause fühle und in meiner Mitte ankomme.

Der Unmut und der Darm

Probleme über Probleme

Der Spiegel und meine Gedanken

Hello again

Woche 2 ist gestartet…

51 comments.

Corina Dattler

Würde mich dafür interessieren, mir ist nur noch nicht ganz klar, was ich bei der Ernährung ändern soll und ob das ganze mit Tabletten gemacht wird. Kostet es was?

Die Reisende

Hallo, ich habe dir eine kleine Mail geschickt. Für alle anderen: Lest als erstes meinen aktuellen Beitrag: https://www.lovejourney.de/?p=239

Kathrin Urban

Hallöchen. Ich würde mich über eine Mail sehr freuen. Unser Tagesablauf ist sehr unregelmäßig. Und da such ich Lösungen. LG

Hy wie sieht es bei dem powefood bei Allergikern aus. L. G. Barbara

Ich habe dir eine Mail geschrieben 🙂

Christiana Felkel

Möchte gerne probieren!

Nicole Staude

Ich möchte was verändern

Dann melde dich gerne bei mir per Mail oder auf Facebook. Dort findest du mich unter „Dierei Sende“

Silke Huber

Würde mich interessieren. Wieviel kostet das

Hallo, les bitte meinen Beitrag: https://www.lovejourney.de/?p=239 Ich möchte den Menschen kein Geld aus der Tasche ziehen, daher ist mein Angebot nun distanziert von Juice Plus und kostenfrei. Bei Interesse schreib mir einfach eine Mail.

Selina Schmidt

Hallo ich bin Selina. Ich will das gerne machen. Habe ich habe überhaupt keine Geld.

Hallo. Ich würde gerne mehr erfahren. Wie hoch sind die Kosten? Ist das ein Abo?

Hi ,interessiere mich sehr für euer Projekt, was würde es denn kosten und wie läuft es so ab? LG Daniel

Katrin Bradler

Würde mich interessieren wieviel kostet das

Ich hab dir eine Mail geschrieben 🙂

Ich hätte gern mehr Infos darüber…

Karin Glock

Ich würde gern mehr über euch erfahren

Ich mach das hier alles alleine aber ich hab dir eine Mail geschrieben 😀

Marion Sbongk

Biite snde mir Infos und die Preise der Lover your self Jorney

Vielen Dank M.Sbongk

Hallo. Das klingt interessant. Möchte aber keine Tabletten/Nahrungsergänzungsmittel o.ä. nehmen. Wie bekomme ich weitere Infos? Habe kein Problem, gesunde Mahlzeiten zu kochen, dürfen nur keine Extrakosten entstehen, dafür hab ich leider keine Mittel. Bin Geringverdiener. LG Claudi

Ich hab dir eine Mail geschickt 🙂

Tanja Grosshans

Ich hätte gerne nähere Infos. Was kostet es? Ist es ein Abo?

Sonnige Grüße

ich habe Interesse und hätte gerne mehr Info’s. Preise, Ablauf, gehören Nahrungsergänzungsmittel zum Programm….?

Nicole Kieven

Ich hätte gerne mehr Infos Ich bin selbstständig deshalb ist regelmäßiges Essen schwierig

Mich würde es interressieren wo ich das powerfood bestellen kann und wie es heisst. Ich wohne in der Schweiz und bin sehr daran interressiert. Liebe Grüsse Claudia

Manuela Rothenberger

Möchte es gerne machen und mehr Infos über das alles preis und auch ablauf

Simone Thätner

Hallo! Ich bin Mo, werde nächstes Jahr 50 und muss ganz dringend was ändern. Ich möchte 20 kg abnehmen und meine Werte verbessern . Bitte schickt mir Infos.

Hab dir eine Mail geschickt 🙂

Claudia Köhler

Was soll der Spaß denn kosten

Les dir bitte folgenden Beitrag durch der sagt denk ich alles: https://www.lovejourney.de/you-say-goodbye-and-i-say-hello/

Sophie Geißler

Habe Interesse an der Love Yourself Journey

Hallo ich interessiere mich für die yourney und freue mich auf Informationen von dir. Liebe Grüße

Claudia Schwarz

Hallo, Könnte ich bitte auch Info und kosten über den Ablauf usw per Mail bekommen. Vielen Dank u Liebe Grüsse!

Jana Heselbarth

Ich habe Interesse an dieser Love Yourself Journey! Was muss ich tun?

Über eine Rückmeldung freue ich mich sehr.

Vielen Dank und Grüße,

Hallo Reisende, ich habe bereist mehrfach deine Seite besucht und wurde inspiriert. Meine Lage wird oder ist ziemlich ernst – 160kg – Ich freue mich auf eine Mail von dir.

Hallo , klingt alles interessant, möchte allerdings wissen was es kostet Lg.

Karsten Fernschild

Würde gerne die Produkte und Rezepte kennen lernen

Mfg Karsten Fernschild

Hallo, Ich hätte intresse vil kann man mir ja etwas info geben. Wie viel es kostet und und und?

Über eine Antwort würde ich mich sehr freuen 🙂

Liebe Grüße Nina Adena

Katja Klaedtke

Was gibt es über alles im Angebot und ja was sind die Kosten dafür? Kannst Du mir vlt eine Aufstellung schicken?

Danke Katja

Hallo, klingt alles sehr interessant. Hätte gerne mehr Infos.

Liebe Grüße

Hallo, ich hab dir eine Email geschickt 🙂

Hallo Patricia, ich würde gerne mehr über die Love Yourself Journey wissen, finde es super interessant. Freue mich auf eine Nachricht von Dir. LG Miriam

Hallo, ich hab dir eine Mail geschrieben 🙂

Kannst du mir auch bitte Infos schicken? Wurde auch angeworben und bin kein Freund von Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln. Wenn ich das richtig verstanden habe, verkaufst du nichts? Ich suche eigentlich nur jemanden mit dem ich mich austauschen kann. Ich denke ich kenne mir sehr gut mit gesunder Ernährung aus. Aber ich brauche keinen Coach oder irgendwelche Zoom-Meetings. Liebe Grüße Jessie

du hast eine Mail 🙂

Simone Berger

Hallo Ich würde gerne mit dem Programm starten.was brauche ich alles und wie sieht ein Essens Alltag aus. Würde mich sehr über Infos freuen.

Vielen dank

Anke Kopplin

Hallo, für mich klingt das sehr interessant, ich würde gern mehr Infos haben. Danke

Das klingt sehr interessant. Deinen anderen Beitrag habe ich auch gelesen. Ich wurde jetzt mehrmals von einer Freundin angeschrieben die bei der Love Yourself mit macht. Aber das ist mir alles zu teuer, da ich das Geld lieber für andere Dinge ausgebe. Ich versuche echt zwanghaft wieder ab zu nehmen. Aufgrund einer Erkrankung habe ich 30kg zugenommen. Da ich aber von den Hormontablette nicht weg komme und mein Lebensgefährte nicht auf Fleisch etc. verzichten will ist es echt schwierig.

Vielleicht hast du ja noch ein paar weitere Informationen für mich.

Jacqueline Maier

Ich würde gerne damit anfangen ist ja leider mega teuer!!! Deshalb meine Frage lohnt sich das alles wirklich bringt es einen weiter und warum sind dort alle so neurologisch happy Grüße Jacqueline

The Self-Love Roadmap: How To Start A Self-Love Journey

Are you wondering how to start a self-love journey? It isn’t all that surprising that self-love doesn’t come as easily as we would like it to! It can actually be really freaking hard sometimes! This guide is here to help you to love yourself more and overcome some of those frustrating roadblocks that get in the way!

But taking the first big step to start your own self-love journey is going to get you a whole lot closer to treating yourself the way you deserve to be treated!

But before we dive into the wild world of self-compassion and appreciation, let’s lay down the groundwork. Let’s start with the basics, like Self-Love 101.

What Is Self-Love?

Self-love is the practice of loving and respecting yourself and treating yourself with kindness.

Sounds simple, right? It is, but it also isn’t!

Self-love is a key ingredient for a healthy and happy life . By giving yourself love and compassion, you unlock the potential to live a truly fulfilling life, forge deep and meaningful connections, and make choices that light up your soul.

My Self-Love Journey

I’ve been on an epic self-love adventure since day one. It’s been a rollercoaster ride of discovery and growth, with exhilarating highs and some really super challenging lows.

Along the way, I’ve always had this burning desire to find inner contentment. My own self-love journey is a big reason why this blog exists! It was possibly a huge catalyst for following a career in psychology.

While it wasn’t always a big focus, finding that sort of contentment was always in the back of my mind.

But the real self-love journey for me kicked off when I was around 38.

Knowing that the big 40 was just around the corner was like a harsh reality! Could I really be ‘that old?’. When my parents were 40, they seemed ancient. Oh, how our reality changes!

I wanted to feel ‘fab at 40’ and that was when my self-love process hit a whole new level.

This for me meant reaching my best physical state – healthier than ever! Regular exercise, eating better, practising proper self-care and digging deep into my mental state to really know what lights my soul on fire.

And I can tell you, the whole process has been incredible! I did feel fab at 40. I was fitter than I had ever been. I even cut down drastically on sugar at 39. As a mega chocoholic, this is a thing I never thought I would be able to do.

All of it combined brought me to a much happier, healthier mental state – a more intentional life!

But have I finished my self-love journey? Heck no. It’s an ongoing process of loving ourselves and it’s a journey I plan to stay on for the rest of my life.

Eliminating Self-Love Blocks

The process of self-love is an ongoing journey that requires you to be mindful of how you think, feel, act, and care for yourself. Ultimately, self-love involves learning to appreciate yourself, including your body and your mind.

It’s also about embracing your flaws, setting boundaries, and listening to what your body and soul need. It’s a whole package deal, my friend.

But here’s the thing, loving yourself can be hard. Like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions hard.

Why? Well, blame it on society and the media . We’re bombarded with messages that we’re never good enough, never pretty enough, never [insert adjective] enough.

We’ve become experts at criticising ourselves.

When was the last time you gave yourself a compliment?

And when was the last time you criticized yourself?

Yeah, see my point?

But here’s the good news: starting your self-love journey is totally doable. You just need to take some action and also identify what might be getting in the way of loving yourself completely!

Here are some common self-love blocks that you may encounter:

Negative Self-Talk

Imagine having a little troll in your head, constantly whispering in your ear, saying things like, “You’re not good enough,” “You’re a failure,” or “You don’t deserve love.”

Ugh, talk about a party pooper!

But here’s the thing: that annoying voice is not your friend, and it’s definitely not telling you the truth.

Show that voice who’s boss. Challenge those negative thoughts and replace them with empowering affirmations or reframe them positively.

You have the power to rewrite that narrative in your head. Flip the script and let your inner cheerleader shine through. You are a rockstar, and don’t you dare let anyone, especially that troll, tell you otherwise.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism is another self-love roadblock that can prevent you from loving yourself fully. It is the belief that you must be perfect to be worthy of love and acceptance.

Perfectionism can lead to unrealistic expectations, which can cause stress and anxiety.

To overcome perfectionism, you need to learn to accept yourself as you are. Embrace your flaws and imperfections, and focus on progress rather than perfection.

Remember that nobody is perfect, and that is okay. Done is also better than perfect!

Comparison is the thief of joy! It can make you feel inadequate and unworthy. It is the habit of comparing yourself to others and feeling like you do not measure up. Comparison can lead to feelings of jealousy, envy, and low self-esteem.

You might also refer to it as imposter syndrome.

This is definitely one that I feel often in my blogging journey. There are some complete and utter rockstars in the online space and I often feel like my introverted self will never quite compare. But, you know what, I’ve built some pretty amazing websites anyway – in my unique way!

To overcome comparison, you need to focus on your own journey and stop comparing yourself to others. Remember that everyone has their own unique path and that comparing yourself to others is unfair and unproductive.

You don’t know if you’re comparing your start to their middle. Or your worst day to their best day!

Instead, focus on your own progress and celebrate your achievements.

Fear of Failure

Fear of failure can prevent you from taking risks and pursuing your dreams.

It’s that nagging belief that failing is a catastrophe. But here’s the truth: it’s holding you back.

This fear leads to procrastination and inaction. To overcome it, reframe your mindset. See failure as a chance to grow and learn.

Every successful person has stumbled along the way. Embrace the lessons and the messy progress. Amazing things await beyond that fear!

Here are a few fun failure examples for you:

Steve Jobs was fired from his own company at one point.
J K Rowling was rejected dozens of times before finally getting Harry Potter published
Oprah Winfrey was publicly fired from her first job as a TV reporter

These stories are prime examples of how you can most definitely fail forward.

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GET THIS IN MY FREE PRINTABLES LIBRARY!

How To Start A Self-Love Journey

Identifying and working on eliminating those dreaded self-love blocks are the first steps in your self-love journey.

Once you have developed a better understanding of yourself and where those blocks might be coming from, you can then kick off with the stuff that makes you feel loved and worthy!

Here are some actions to add to your self-love journey:

Goal setting is such an important tool in our lives! Personal, professional, physical… there are goals for every little aspect of our life!

Set goals that lead you towards the life you want to be living. Intentional goals help you lead an intentional life!

Setting yourself a goal for this journey is important too. It will help keep you accountable and motivated! Use these monthly goal-setting tips to help you.

Take Care Of Your Body

Eating healthy and exercising regularly can help boost your self-esteem . When you feel good on the inside, you will start to feel better on the outside.

When you know you are actively working towards a healthier you, nourishing your body with good food, and moving your body every day, you’re going to have that flow-on effect.

Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good. Plenty of healthy foods also give you a positive mood boost.

And if one of your biggest self-love hurdles is body confidence, I can tell you from personal experience that while I still don’t love every part of my body, I sure do feel a heck of a lot better about it now that it is strong and fitter than it has been before!

Yeah, I’ve still got an annoying belly roll and I bloat horribly after I eat some foods, but this body is a strong body and it serves me well!

Care For Your Mind

A healthy body is key to feeling good, but a healthy mind is just as essential! After all, our emotional health plays a big part in our physical wellbeing.

Nourish your mind with things that bring your joy.

I love self-development and motivational podcasts and audiobooks to keep my mind inspired and excited. But journaling is equally useful for a healthy mind.

Take time to be open with your feelings and thoughts, reflect and dig deep with journal prompts to help you or self-love questions to help you process your feelings.

Try these 31 self-love journal prompts for a full month of guidance.

Do What Feels Good

Life is short. There is too much fun to be had to only spend our time focused on what we think we should be doing.

Spend time with people that make you feel good.

Find a hobby or activity that brings you true joy, like reading, painting, cooking, or pottery – anything that relaxes and engages your mind. Meditation can be a great tool to use too!

Practice Gratitude

Being grateful for what we have in our lives, for what we have achieved and what we are capable of doing is a huge part of loving ourselves!

Take a few moments each day to practice gratitude and count your blessings, no matter how big or small.

You don’t have to be thankful for everything in your life but you can take the time to appreciate those little moments that bring you joy.

I like to write down three things I’m grateful for each day and my kids also have a daily gratitude journal to start the habit early.

Intentional living quote - in a society that has you counting money, poounds, calories and steps, be a rebel and count your blessings instead

Be Kind To Yourself

Kindness starts with you! You hear that saying a lot but have you ever thought that it also means being kind to yourself? Because it does!

Self-compassion is essential to this journey. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make mistakes, if things don’t go as planned or if your goals take a back seat for a while – we are only human!

Your self-love journey is all about taking the steps to build yourself up and nurture your own mind, body, and soul.

Self-kindness comes in many forms – practising daily self-care , treating ourselves to something special, positive self-talk & self-compassion.

Try New Things

When was the last time you felt really fired up about something? As in the good kind of fired up… not the cranky kind!

Trying new things can help you learn more about yourself and build confidence. It makes us more resilient and thus more capable of dealing with the curve balls that life throws our way.

Plus, you never know what hidden talents and interests you might have lurking in those unexplored areas!

Set Boundaries

Setting boundaries helps us to value ourselves and respect our own limits. Start by setting yourself small goals to practice this important skill.

Learning how to confidently say no will help in your self-love progress too!

Use Affirmations

While affirmations might not sound appealing to you, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that they can be effective in helping us to start believing in ourselves.

Pick an affirmation that resonates with you and practice saying it out loud every day until it starts to take shape in your life.

Or if that feels too woo for you, write a few favourite affirmations on post-it notes and put them in places that you will see them when you most need them.

Tip : Body love affirmations on the bathroom mirror are always a great starting point! Or self-care affirmations at your desk to remind you to take breaks.

Surround Yourself With People Who Lift You Up

Our environment can directly affect our mindset and attitude.

This means that if we are surrounded by people who drag us down, it is likely that our ability to love and appreciate ourselves will suffer.

We need to surround ourselves with positive energy from people who uplift us and ultimately believe in us. That could be friends or family members. But also consider the people you associate with at work.

While you can’t just ignore your toxic co-worker, you can minimise those interactions and make sure you’re using those boundaries to avoid letting them bring you down!

Have you ever felt more tense after watching a news report on tv? Or suddenly felt really down on your ability to maintain your home after seeing that Instagram mums with the perfect house and perfect life? Urgh!

Remove those triggers from your life.

Unfollow social media accounts that make you feel unworthy. Don’t read the glossy magazines with the perfect ‘air-brushed’ women. Don’t scroll Facebook with all the clickbait drama headlines.

Nah, spend your time consuming the stuff that feels good. Or better still, unplug entirely and be more present in your daily life rather than in what’s happening on your phone or tv.

So, there you have it! Starting a self-love journey is easier than you think!

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all path to self-love. You have to find what works for you! So take your time, be kind to yourself, and enjoy the journey!

pinterest image - how to start a self love journey

Holly is a mum of two with a passion for intentional living. Following a career in psychology, she now shares practical tips on creating a meaningful life and adapting a positive mindset.

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The message is loud and clear and splattered over websites, in books, in videos, and in podcasts wherever you turn: love yourself.

But that’s much easier done in theory than in practice, isn’t it?

And the world we live in isn’t all that much help a lot of the time…

The things we see and hear in our day-to-day lives are mostly geared toward sowing seeds of insecurity, self-doubt, poor self-esteem, and competition. When combined with insults and offhand remarks from other people in our lives, that’s a recipe for a whole lot of mental health struggles.

If we add various types of trauma into the mix, that recipe gets even murkier. For example, people who have a difficult time loving themselves can often track back their self-loathing to criticisms thrown at them in their youth. When one is inundated with negative messages on a daily basis, over the course of several years, then that often becomes an underlying personal narrative. Echoes keep resonating in our psyches long after the cruelties themselves are over and done with.

So how can someone learn to love themselves when the mirror they’re given has been warped and cracked by external influences? How can they get a true sense of their individual value when they can’t see themselves clearly?

Let’s delve into the many factors that can contribute to a lack of self-love, and then address how to go about reversing their effects.

Where does a lack of self-love stem from?

We may come into this world like smooth, unblemished stones, but the hardships and difficulties that life throws our way chip away at those surfaces over time. We end up feeling rather like the moon that orbits the strange little rock we live on, which is covered in dents and craters from being hammered by asteroids over the years. Its surface was once pristine as well, but now? Not so much.

Small children are oblivious little potatoes at first, but they start to really gain a sense of self – and self-awareness – around age two. How that sense of self develops, however, is thoroughly influenced by their environment.

Let’s say a small child is constantly referred to as a princess. How long will it take before she starts to refer to herself as such as well? Ask her what her name is and she may very well respond with “I’m their little Princess!”

As you might imagine, the same goes for negative reinforcements as well. What may seem like an innocuous gesture or phrase when they’re little may end up having rather intense, long-lasting repercussions.

Kids are sponges, and they soak up pretty much everything they see and hear around them. If you’ve spent much time with little ones, you’ve likely noticed how quickly they can learn a language, and how well they’ll repeat words, phrases, and behaviors they pick up.

So what happens if someone continually refers to their toddler as a “little pig” for eating enthusiastically at mealtimes? Or who forcefully changes their clothes without explaining to them why, or what’s happening? And then punishes them when they resist because they’re feeling uncomfortable about being stripped and handled roughly?

You may have noticed several attention-seeking trends on social media like TikTok these days in which parents trick their children to get reactions on camera. The parents might think it’s funny to bait-and-switch their child into thinking they’re getting a mouthful of ice cream only to taste mashed peas or turnips instead, or to scare their child by leaping out at them while wearing a terrifying-looking mask.

They might get several thousand views after that, but what kind of impact will that have on the child? Essentially, the lesson the little one will learn from that is that a person who’s taking care of them, who they rely upon for their every need, can’t be trusted.

Many people might brush off the idea that a child might be traumatized by an experience like this, believing that the kid either won’t remember it, or will get over it in time. But will they?

You may not remember your kindergarten teacher’s name, but chances are you remember something embarrassing or hurtful that happened to you when you were three or four years old.

Our personalities and perceptions are greatly shaped and influenced by how we experience the world, and we often learn bigger and longer-lasting lessons through pain than we do through pleasant experiences.

Children experience a wide variety of different things as they develop. Some of them will be fun and playful, while others will be frustrating, painful, even humiliating. Many kids will experience big traumatic events that will have significant impacts on their long-term wellbeing, while others may have to navigate micro injuries and aggressions that add up over time.

What’s the difference between “big T” and “small t” traumas?

Traumas can come in many forms, and most fall under two different categories: “big T” and “small t” traumas.

“Big T” traumas may include (but are not limited to), physical beatings, sexual assaults, gun violence, war, natural disasters, bad accidents (like car crashes and sporting injuries), and severe, life-threatening illnesses.

In contrast, “small t” traumas can either be isolated incidents, or mild-to-moderately stressful situations that occur over long periods of time. For example, a “small t” trauma such as a passing criticism from a loved one about one’s body shape may result in a lifelong eating disorder, or constantly bracing against potential parental anger can cause long-term anxiety.

When people talk about traumas they’ve experienced, most of them only focus on the big, intense things they’ve gone through, rather than smaller, hurtful things that have affected them. As a result, the smaller traumas tend to be brushed off.

“Big T” traumas are often considered “worthwhile” or “valid” reasons why a person may seek out therapy. Furthermore, people who have experienced them are more likely to receive sympathy from others than those with “small t” traumas.

Consider how you might react to finding out that a friend of yours lived through their city being bombed as a child, and now has a lasting fear of loud noises like fireworks. Chances are you’d feel empathy for them, and you would do your best to ensure that they weren’t exposed to those kinds of triggering events.

Now consider how you’d react to someone saying that they don’t ever eat dessert because their parents made fun of their weight daily as a child. Or that they didn’t like dogs since their grandmother’s chihuahua bit them on a regular basis. Would you show similar empathy for these experiences? Or would you roll your eyes at them and maybe crack a joke or two?

In contrast to those who have lived through war or near-death experiences, people who struggle with the fallout from “small t” traumas are often told to just get over themselves and stop being dramatic.

Instead of having their emotions and lasting hurts acknowledged and validated, they’re given the impression that they haven’t been through enough hardship to justify having any kind of post-traumatic stress.

Furthermore, they might be accused of attention-seeking, or told that they don’t have any right to feel damaged by “insignificant” past experiences because other people have it so much worse.

This is rather like telling someone with chronic migraines or arthritis that they aren’t experiencing “real” pain, unlike those with broken limbs or cancer.

How “small t” traumas influence our lives.

A wonderful philosopher named Ovid was famous for his quote: “ The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.”

Have you seen stones with smooth holes in them before? Those often occur when a rock lies beneath a constant dripping water source for a long period of time. Over the years, the repetitive dripping on the same spot will bore a hole through the stone.

When you think of a water droplet, you probably don’t think of it as being particularly harmful. After all, water is immensely soothing. Droplets can quench thirst and offer a startling amount of refreshment on a blisteringly hot day. But even the gentlest thing can cause harm when it strikes the same spot over the course of several months, years, or decades.

Similarly, these small experiences can shape our lives in innumerable ways. As an example, in her book The Sex Life of Food , the (unfortunately named) author Bunny Crumpacker touches upon how people’s food choices as adults often reflect the experiences they had in their childhood.

For instance, if a person grew up in a household that was supportive and caring, in which food was offered as loving nourishment, then chances are they’ll love those foods well into adulthood. Childhood favorites will be their go-to “comfort foods,” and they’ll lovingly prepare those same dishes they enjoyed as children for those they care about. In simplest terms, this food represents love made tangible for them.

In contrast, a person whose childhood was fraught with abuse and hardship might associate mealtimes – and the items served at those times – with negativity. They’ll often balk from the dishes their family served so as not to relive old, ugly memories.

Some become picky eaters who only like bland, sweet, foods that appeal to children. Others will develop more adventurous palates and veer towards strong flavors, spices, and interesting textures, provided that they’re completely different from what their family fed them.

Think about the foods you enjoy most, versus those you despise. Then take some time to consider why you have these preferences and aversions. What are the stories behind your culinary choices? Which memories do you have associated with different dishes?

Every single thing we experience leaves an impact on our psyches in numerous ways. By understanding how your experiences thus far have shaped you, steps can be taken towards unravelling the damage that has been done.

10 Tips To Learn To Love Yourself

1. start with acceptance..

Each and every one of us has a personal basket full of ingredients to work with in this lifetime. Some might seem easier to work with than others, or might seem more appealing, but no basket is better or worse than any other.

You might think that someone else’s collection of ingredients is more appealing or worthy than your own, but they undoubtedly have something else in the mix that you wouldn’t want to work with.

Have you ever watched a cooking competition show like “Chopped”? In it, contestants are given baskets of culinary ingredients that they need to transform into delicious meals within a set amount of time. Some of the collections seem ideal, as they’re familiar, versatile, and delicious all on their own.

That said, there’s always a wild card in the mix that they didn’t expect, and that has to be incorporated – even featured – or the contestant will be disqualified. So sure, a basket of strip steak, potato, and aged cheddar might seem incredibly lucky, but what about the pickled pig lips or chocolate hummus that need to be worked into that meal?

What’s this got to do with self-love?

Well, people who envy others because of their physical attractiveness, health, able-bodiedness, wealth, or family status might assume those other people’s baskets are solely filled with good stuff. In reality, the people they admire or envy usually have a slew of difficult ingredients that they have to work with as well.

It’s possible that the gorgeous person whose body shape you covet might be battling a chronic or terminal illness that causes them constant pain. Or the person who’s an absolute genius in math is so dyslexic with words that they’re unable to read books: they even need help ordering from a restaurant menu.

What we have at our disposal, with our own bodies and capabilities, is what we have to work with. As a result, if you’re beginning a journey towards greater self-love, the best first step you can take is unconditional acceptance.

Rather than wishing that your metaphorical basket of ingredients was different, accept the fact that this is what you have to work with. Wishing things weren’t as they are will only lead to depression, disassociation, and a chronic lack of self-worth. Instead of going that route, try to lean into and embrace what you have.

Or, in shorter terms: “own it.”

2. Work with what you have, to the best of your ability.

Edith Sitwell was an author and poet who was born in the late 1800s. In the Victorian and Edwardian periods, the ideal of feminine beauty was a petite frame with a tiny waist, curvaceous bust and hips, and delicate features. In stark – almost defiant – contrast to this ideal, Edit was just over six feet tall, long-limbed and slender, with striking, fierce features.

She also had Marfan syndrome, which in her case caused a mild spinal deformation.

Rather than lamenting her fate and trying to force herself to fit in with the ideals of the day, Edith embraced what she had and went full-out to celebrate her own attributes. She chose to cultivate an “eccentric” aesthetic, choosing to wear long, dramatically hued dressing gowns and turbans. Instead of hiding perceived “flaws” in her appearance, she drew focus to her height and shape.

When asked why she didn’t try to conform to societal expectations of what she should look like, she famously responded with: “If one is a greyhound, why try to look like a Pekingese?”

Try to embrace your inner Edith, regardless of your gender, and determine what you think would suit you best as an individual. This goes for your personal sense of fashion, as well as your home decor, career choices, romantic interests, hobbies, etc.

If it’s helpful, make a Venn diagram that encompasses what you love most, and what you have to work with. There will undoubtedly be overlap between them that you can revel in to your heart’s content.

3. Make a list of the things you like about yourself.

I often suggest that people make lists to help them with personal growth, but there’s a reason for that (and it isn’t just my Virgo rising sign taking center stage).

Our minds are often maelstroms of random bits of information, responsibilities, snippets of conversations, song lyrics, and so on. When we start to take solid steps towards greater wholeness, we might have moments of inspiration and awareness, but they’ll be fleeting. Later on, when we try to remember an epiphany we had at the breakfast table, we won’t be able to remember exactly what it was.

By keeping a journal or notepad handy, we can jot down these ideas and incorporate them into our personal work. Furthermore, and this is the most important bit, we can keep referring back to them time and time again.

By writing down these ideas, we manifest them into the physical realm. Then we can use them as touchpoints and reminders whenever we feel like we’re veering off our chosen path.

Dedicate several pages to all the different traits you have that you either like, or think have promise to work with. Do you really like your eyes? Are you able to learn languages or artistic skills easily? Can you keep calm in stressful circumstances? Are some parts of your body stronger than others?

Write all of this down.

Then, take another few pages to write down things that you love and admire. If you’re more visually oriented, consider making a Pinterest board or scrapbook to help with this step.

Are there subjects or career paths that you admire and would love to get involved with? How about fashion aesthetics? Are there styles that you love dearly but have been afraid to adopt because you don’t think they wouldn’t suit your physical frame?

When and if you come across a fear or hesitation about one of these things, try doing some internal digging to figure out where this aversion is coming from.

Maybe you were mocked by someone close to you for having an interest in it when you were young, or someone insulted you when you were wearing something you loved, simply because it was different. Or perhaps a topic you adore is seen as too odd or unconventional by those who would prefer you to be more like them.

Once you understand where these hesitations come from, you can start working to overcome them and embrace a greater sense of authenticity and self-love.

Additionally, when you have that list of great stuff right in front of you, you might start to glean a greater picture of the glorious version of yourself that you can start to step into, when you’re ready.

4. Don’t allow anyone to mistreat you.

People may have mistreated you in the past, when you were unable to stand up for yourself and be your own most fervent advocate, but no more. This is where you set firm boundaries about what you will and will not accept as far as your wellbeing is concerned.

Become your own sentinel and guard your heart against infractions. This might involve learning to say “no” to people who are demanding your time and energy without recompense, even though they might try to guilt trip you about it. Or perhaps it’s telling those who are abusive towards you that you won’t tolerate that kind of behavior anymore.

This might be quite terrifying if you’re conflict averse, as there will inevitably be pushback from those who are accustomed to mistreating you. But to truly love yourself, you need to make your health and happiness top priorities.

If the people in your life have been mistreating you, put a stop to it the next time they say or do something unacceptable. When they complain or try to do it again to reassert their dominance, leave. Or kick them out, depending on the circumstance.

Make it abundantly clear that you are done being mistreated. If they don’t respect your boundaries, then you may have to go low- or no-contact for a while to make it clearer.

Protect yourself and your wellbeing the way you’d protect a child whom you’d sworn to take care of and nurture. You have full permission to go full-on mama/papa bear in your own defense.

5. Boost your self-confidence with role models you can relate to.

There have been huge strides in the self-positivity movement over the past few years. This is great for those who are seeking role models to help encourage them to live more authentically.

At current count, there are over 7 billion people on this planet, most of whom do not look like supermodels. Think about the people who are in your extended social circle: chances are they run the gamut of body shapes, able-bodiedness, and gender expression.

So instead of hating yourself for not looking the way that other person does, or not being able to achieve something that they did, focus on the magnificent, unique expression of the universe that is YOU.

Instagram is turning out to be a great resource for inspirational people who are trying to help and support one another. Whatever struggles you’re facing, or whichever direction(s) you’d like to move towards, you will be able to find others of like mind on there.

Would you love to dress in bright, cheerful hues rather than somber, conservative clothes? Do that. Get a bunch of tattoos? Go for it!

Do some keyword searches to look for the topics that interest you, and then follow the people who inspire you. There will undoubtedly be other people who follow them that will also have great accounts, and before you know it, you’ll have more esteem-boosting visual candy to bask in than you ever thought possible.

In addition to feeling more confident about the fact that there are others out there who are on a similar path to your own, you might make some great new friends!

6. Let go of other people’s expectations of you.

This builds upon the earlier tip regarding embracing what you have to work with, as well as what you love.

Some of the greatest suffering in life comes from trying to be something we’re not for the sake of making other people happier or more comfortable.

Many people spend their entire lives in misery, being inauthentic and unfulfilled, simply because they’re putting all their energy toward maintaining a masquerade.

This life is YOURS to live as you see fit. You don’t exist to make relatives proud of your academic accomplishments, nor do you have to sacrifice your dreams in order to fulfill someone else’s ideas of who you’d become.

Take a look at what you really want out of life versus what other people want you to do in order to make them happy. Do you want to travel the world instead of raising a bunch of kids? Then do that. Or, do you want to raise a bunch of kids instead of pursuing a career in law or medicine? Then do that.

Live the life that you dream of, and don’t feel guilty about upsetting other people’s expectations. If they’re upset, then they shouldn’t have tried to impose expectations on you to begin with! You’re not a malleable peg that can be mashed into the mold that they set out for you.

This is your life. Embrace it and live it in the way that makes you happiest.

7. Forgive yourself for past errors.

Whether you’ve experienced big or small traumas, chances are you berate yourself quite fiercely for some of them. This is normal, it is common, but it is not very healthy.

We’re often incredibly cruel to ourselves after we’ve experienced something awful, as we feel that we could have avoided certain painful situations if only we’d had more foresight, awareness, etc.

One person might be angry with themselves for not seeing their partner’s abuse well ahead of time, instead choosing to ignore big red flags and “allowing” themselves to be mistreated. Meanwhile, someone else might be furious with themselves for choosing to take a risky holiday where they contracted an illness that affected their health and body shape.

“If only” they’d listened to their insight, or made different choices, etc. This is the “shoulda, coulda, woulda” rabbit hole that so many people fall into after going through difficulty. Even if there was absolutely no way they could have avoided experiencing what they did, they’d find a way to be awful to themselves about it.

If this is something you’ve been struggling with, please try to learn how to forgive yourself . We’re all stumbling through life as best we can, and we will all make mistakes. We learn from these experiences so we can grow from them, but holding onto them also holds us back from growing into the people we’re capable of becoming.

One technique that may work for you is to envision yourself sitting with the past version of you and really paying attention to where they were mentally and emotionally at the time. Why did past you make those choices? If you can understand where they stemmed from, that can go a long way toward personal forgiveness.

For instance, you may have chosen to tolerate mistreatment because you thought that was “normal” due to abuse in your youth. Similarly, you might have been more adventurous than was prudent at the time because you needed to break free from what had been a stifling home environment.

None of these choices were “bad” or “wrong.” Even if they ended up changing your life in unexpected ways, there was undoubtedly an invaluable lesson that you learned from it.

8. Use your gifts for the greater good.

One of the best ways to learn how to love yourself is to use some of your talents and abilities to help others.

There are so many ways that each and every one of us can help others. The key is to refer to that list you made early on in which you highlighted the things that you’re amazing at, and then use those things to the best of your ability.

Are you very articulate? Then consider advocating for those who can’t help themselves, such as animals, children, or the natural environment.

Can you cook or bake well? Look into volunteering with outreach programs that help to feed the homeless.

When I was bed-bound for months recovering from a serious illness, I took up knitting and made warm clothes for orphans and refugees overseas. Similarly, a friend of mine uses the proceeds from his wood carvings to donate to animal sanctuary shelters.

It’s difficult not to feel good about oneself when one has poured love and effort into helping others, and there’s always something we can do to offer assistance.

We all have abilities we can put to use for the greater good: what are yours?

9. Do things that bring you joy.

Many people who dislike aspects of themselves end up holding back from experiencing joy. They might feel that they don’t deserve happiness , or fun, or great food for various reasons. Maybe it’s hearing other people’s cruel comments in the backs of their minds, or because they’re trying to punish themselves for perceived shortcomings and/or transgressions.

Furthermore, some people refrain from taking part in activities or hobbies that they enjoy because they don’t feel that they’re very good at them. They might watch online reels of people who create beautiful things with clay or paint and don’t bother trying because they’ll never be “as good” as them. Or they hold back from swimming or taking yoga classes because they’re afraid that others will be awful to them about a less-than-perfect physical form.

Life is short, and one of the greatest blessings we can give ourselves is to have joy, in whichever ways we can help to manifest it into being.

You don’t have to be the best baker in the world in order to enjoy making treats for yourself (and the people you love). Your macarons can be lumpy and misshapen, and your cake decorating skills can be basic. As long as you are having fun, that’s truly all that matters.

The same goes for any kind of visual art, craft, music, movement, etc.

As for other people’s negative opinions: ask yourself why these people’s thoughts matter to you. Chances are you’ll never know their names, never be involved in their lives at all. They can think negatively of you if they want to – it says far more about them and their sad, possibly damaged personal lives than anything about you.

Do the fun thing. Eat the delicious food that makes your toes curl. Spend evenings soaking in bubble baths, reading atrocious romance novels and sipping juice from champagne glasses if that brings you happiness.

Celebrate the time you have with pastimes that make you smile.

10. Work with a therapist to get past stumbling blocks and heal old wounds.

If you find that old traumas – whether big or small “T” versions thereof – are holding you back from progress, or if you keep tripping over the same triggers, you might wish to get some help from a therapist.

This doesn’t mean that you’ve backslid in your journey or that you’re failing in some way. Rather, you’re getting advice from someone who can see blind spots in the bigger picture, and might have some techniques that can help break you free from the cycle(s) you’re repeating.

Try to see this like an experienced gamer who has tips or cheat codes for how to defeat the Big Boss. There may be a technique that’s actually quite simple and can move you forward significantly, but you just haven’t been able to see it from your own perspective.

The things that you’ve been through have made lasting impressions on your life, but that doesn’t mean that you’re stuck within the confines that they’ve created for you. With the help of a trained professional, you can transcend the difficulties and use the lessons to forge a beautiful future for yourself; one that’s full of unconditional self-love, self-compassion, and joy.

One final note: Change is inevitable, and you may need to re-learn how to love yourself over time.

It’s important to keep in mind that stumbling blocks and setbacks are inevitable. After all, we change constantly as we move through life. Our bodies change shape as we age, unexpected life circumstances can sideline us, priorities may change significantly, or we may have sudden epiphanies that make us want to overhaul literally everything.

As a result, be prepared to revisit these techniques on how to love yourself over and over again through the years. Traits that you appreciate in yourself now might annoy you then, while abilities you don’t think about much now might be absolutely treasured in a decade or two.

Try to hold space and love for your own personal development the same way you would for a beloved child. In fact, you can even try to visualize your inner child every time you feel a pang of irritation or disappointment with yourself.

If your own child were struggling with this issue, would you insult them? Or try to be patient and encouraging with them? Will you continue the cycle of abusive behavior that you experienced? Or break that awful cycle by loving yourself unconditionally, and working with what you have to cultivate the best outcome possible in any situation?

Your body will change, as may your level of able-bodiedness. So will your interests, hobbies, priorities, and friend circles. The good news is that we all have tools at our disposal to navigate these changes with grace, and to see ourselves as works in progress that will get more beautiful and complex over time.

Like heritage buildings with beautiful gardens, the greatest charm lies in the stories held by weathered stone and tangled vines. Not in temporarily perfect manicured lawns and perpetually whitewashed windowsills.

About The Author

Catherine Winter is an herbalist, INTJ empath, narcissistic abuse survivor, and PTSD warrior currently based in Quebec's Laurentian mountains. In an informal role as confidant and guide, Catherine has helped countless people work through difficult times in their lives and relationships, including divorce, ageing and death journeys, grief, abuse, and trauma recovery, as they navigate their individual paths towards healing and personal peace.

How to Start Your Self-Love Journey: 11 Easy Steps

Self-love is one of the most important things in life. When you love yourself , you are kinder to yourself and others. You have more self-confidence, and you are happier overall. Not to mention, when you love yourself more, you start to see others and situations in a more positive light.

Practicing self-love allows people to live more fulfilling lives by accepting themselves for who they are, flaws and all. Unfortunately, many people struggle with self-love. They may feel like they aren’t good enough, or that they don’t deserve happiness. A lack of self-love can also lead people to make poor life decisions simply because they think they aren’t worth it.

And that is a lie.

We are absolutely worth it.

If you’ve been struggling with self-love or just want to love yourself a little bit more, keep reading.

11 Tips to Start Your Self-Love Journey

1. learn self forgiveness.

We all make mistakes. We all have regrets. And too often, we beat ourselves up for things that are long in the past and beyond our control.

And trust me, I know what it feels like to be stuck dwelling on past mistakes, or situations.

Forgiving ourselves can seem like an impossible task. But it’s essential for our mental and emotional well-being. Carrying around anger, resentment and self-loathing thoughts weighs us down and prevents us from living our best lives. It’s also important to remember that forgiving ourselves is a form of self acceptance and is a journey of self-love. It’s not something that can happen overnight.

Start by practicing self-compassion. Be kind to yourself and cut yourself some slack. Remember that you are a human being and you are doing the best you can.

When you make a mistake, acknowledge it, learn from it and then let it go. Over time, you will start to forgive yourself more and more, and you will feel lighter and freer as a result.

2. Gratitude

I know you have probably seen this everywhere, but it’s everywhere for a reason. Gratitude is such an essential aspect along your self-love journey or any personal development journey for that matter.

Gratitude is acknowledging and appreciating anything good in your life. It’s about taking time to reflect on the people, experiences, and things that bring joy and happiness. It’s also about recognizing that even in difficult times, there are still things to be thankful for.

And there always is something to be thankful for, even when it seems like there isn’t.

I believe that gratitude is a key element of self-love. When we take the time to appreciate the good in our lives and about ourselves, we open up to more happiness and joy.

Additionally, gratitude can help us to reframe our perspective when we’re facing challenges. Instead of dwelling on what’s negative, we can choose to focus on what’s positive. This can help us to better cope with difficult situations and start seeing the silver lining in every cloud.

Here are a few ways to start practicing gratitude on your own self-love journey:

Keep a gratitude journal and write down three things you’re thankful for each day.
Take a few minutes each evening to reflect on your day and identify any moments of happiness.
Look for opportunities to perform acts of kindness.

3. Slow Down

Slow down, meditate, do not rush in life

Often times we find ourselves rushing through life and not really taking the time to enjoy the moment. We are always on the go and always looking ahead to the next thing on our to-do list. But what does it mean to truly slow down and live in the moment?

To me, slowing down means being present in my life and tuning into what is happening around me. It means taking the time to connect with myself and others, and savouring the little things.

When we slow down, we are able to appreciate life more fully. We can connect with ourselves on a deeper level and get in touch with our body, and what we are truly feeling. We can also connect with others more deeply, forming stronger relationships built on trust and understanding.

Slowing down allows us to connect with ourselves and others in a more meaningful way. It allows us to live more fully and appreciate all that life has to offer.

So start slowing down and make time for yourself each day, even if it’s just 5-10 minutes. Spend time outdoors in nature, disconnect from technology, journal or meditate. Do whatever brings you peace and joy.

4. Date Yourself

On my journey to self-love, one of the most important things I’ve learned is the importance of dating myself. What I mean by this is taking the time to figure myself out. This meant I had to learn about what made me the happiest in life. This can be a very hard process because you may have been going through life believing you like a particular thing, when in actuality, you don’t.

When you do things that make you happy, you no longer depend on anyone for validation and/or approval.

This can be anything from taking a long bath, to indulging in your favourite dessert, to taking a solo trip to your favourite vacation spot.

The key is to find things that bring you joy and make you feel good about yourself, without needing anyone else’s input or approval. Dating myself has helped me to feel more confident and self-assured, and has made my journey to self-love much more enjoyable.

5. Plan Me Time

When we think of self-care and self-love, we often think of things like getting a massage, taking a bubble bath, or going for a walk in nature. And while those things are definitely important, there’s another layer to it that is often overlooked: me time.

Me time is all about putting yourself first to take care of yourself mentally and emotionally, rather than just physically. It’s about giving yourself the space and permission to feel all of your emotions, without judgement or self-criticism. It’s about being kind and gentle with yourself, even when you make mistakes.

Planning me time into your life is essential for your self-love journey because it allows you to nurture your innermost self. Without me time, we can quickly become bogged down by the demands of everyday life and start to feel disconnected from ourselves. But by taking even just a few minutes each day to check in with our emotions and needs, we can stay connected to what truly matters.

Implementing more me time into your life can be as simple as setting aside 10 minutes each day to journal or meditate. However you choose to do it, make sure that you’re putting yourself first and making your needs a priority.

6. Develop A High-Vibe Routine

As you begin your self-love journey, it is important to implement a high vibrational routine. What exactly is a high vibrational routine? A high vibrational routine is creating routine comprised of any activities that make you feel good. This could be anything from taking nature walks everyday, to listening to your favourite song each morning, or saying what you’re grateful for before bed. The key is to do what feels good for YOU.

The importance of a high vibrational routine lies in the fact that self-love is a journey of self-discovery. As you get to know yourself better, it becomes easier to identify what makes you feel good. A high vibrational routine allows you to honour your needs, provides you with self-care practices that support your well-being, and helps you to become the best version of yourself.

7. Set Intentions

When we talk about self-love and self-care, one of the most important things we can do is to set intentions. But what does that really mean?

Essentially, setting an intention means focusing your attention and energy on a specific goal or desired outcome. It’s about getting clear on what you want, and then taking steps to make it happen. Why is this so important?

Because when it comes to self-love, thoughts become things. So if we’re constantly thinking negative thoughts about ourselves, it’s going to be very difficult to improve our self-love and self care. But if we start setting intentions along our self-love journey, it helps to focus our attention on the positive and creates a powerful force of change. It also brings us into the present moment and allows us to focus on the here and now – which is where self-love begins.

So how can you start setting intentions? First, take some time to think about what you really want in terms of self-love and self-care. What are your goals? What would make you feel good?

Starting small, set an intention for yourself each day in terms of self-love. It could be something as simple as taking a few moments for yourself each day, or making sure to drink lots of water for the day. Or, if you really want to challenge yourself, intend to keep your mind on only positive feelings, instead of focusing on the negative feelings.

Whatever it is, make sure it’s something that you can realistically achieve.

8. Be Kind To Yourself and Others

Two people holding hands and arms with roses

Kindness is a quality that we all possess, but sometimes we need to remind ourselves to use it. Being kind means treating others with respect and compassion. It’s about listening to people’s stories, lending a helping hand when needed and being patient and understanding, even when someone is having a tough day.

Being kind to others is important because it sets a good example and creates a more positive world for everyone. But it’s also essential to be kind to yourself. After all, how can we truly be there for someone else if we’re not taking care of ourselves first?

I’ve learned that being kind is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves and others. It’s a cornerstone of a happy and fulfilling life. When we’re kind to ourselves, we set the foundation for a lifetime of self-love and self-care. We also create an environment of kindness that extends outwards towards others.

9. Compliment Yourself

Compliment Yourself. Woman standing in front of a full length mirror appreciating the way how she looks

When we talk about self-love, one of the key components is self-acceptance. In order to truly love and accept ourselves, we need to be able to see all aspects of ourselves – the good and the bad – and still feel worthy of love and respect. One way to do this is to compliment ourselves.

Complimenting ourselves means recognizing our positive qualities and acknowledging them out loud. This can be difficult at first, especially if we’ve been conditioning ourselves to focus on negative self-talk for a long time. However, it’s so important to break that cycle and start speaking kindly to ourselves. Even just a few simple compliments can make a big difference in how we feel about ourselves.

When we compliment ourselves, we’re sending a message of self-love and self-acceptance. We’re saying that even though we have flaws, we are still worthy of love. This is an incredibly powerful message, one that can help us on our self-love journey.

So if you’re not used to complimenting yourself, start small. Maybe there’s one thing you appreciate about yourself today. Or maybe there’s something you did that you’re proud of. Whatever it is, acknowledge it and give yourself a boost of self-esteem and self-love!

10. Diet and Exercise

Embarking on a self-love journey can be a really powerful experience. It can help you to connect with yourself in a deeper way and start to care for yourself in a more nourishing way. Part of this journey is about making sure that you are taking care of your body in the best way possible. This means eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

When you nourish your body with healthy foods and give it the physical activity it needs, you are sending a strong message of self-love. You are telling yourself that you deserve to feel good, inside and out. Exercise can help you improve your physical appearance and help you to feel confident.

If you are not used to eating healthily or exercising, it can be daunting to know where to start. But there are plenty of resources available to help you. There are recipes, workout plans, online fitness classes and even apps that can help you to make healthy lifestyle changes. So if you’re ready to start practicing self-love in a more holistic way, why not start by making some tweaks to your diet and exercise regime? It could make all the difference to how you feel about yourself.

11. Boundaries

Self-care is all about taking care of yourself, both physically and emotionally. It’s important to set boundaries in order to protect your own well-being. When you have healthy boundaries, you’re able to say “no” when you need to, and you’re not afraid to ask for what you need. You also know how to set limits with others, and you’re able to respect their boundaries as well. Setting boundaries can be a challenge, but it’s so important along your journey.

Here are some tips on how to start setting boundaries:

Be clear about what you want and don’t want. assertiveness is key!
Don’t be afraid to say “no” when you need to.
Respect other people’s boundaries as well as your own.
Communicate openly and honestly with others about your needs and wants.
Trust your gut instinct and listen to your inner voice.

Implementing boundaries can be difficult, but it’s so worth it for your self-care journey. Remember that you deserve to love and respect yourself, and setting boundaries is one way to practice self-love.

Self-Love Isn’t Selfish, It’s Self-Care

When I first started my self-love journey, I used to think that being selfish was a bad thing. I thought that I was supposed to put everyone else’s needs before my own and that if I did anything for myself, it meant that I was being self-centred.

However, I’ve since learned that there is a big difference between being selfish and practicing self care.

Being selfish means only thinking about your own needs and not caring about anyone else. Practicing self care means taking the time to nurture yourself emotionally and physically so that you can be your best self for yourself and for others. It’s important to remember that you can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself first. So make sure to give yourself the time and attention that you need in order to thrive.

Self-Love and Mental Health

The practice of self-love is essential for mental health because it allows individuals to reconcile with themselves on a deep level. It is a journey of self-discovery and acceptance that can be difficult, but ultimately rewarding.

Through self-love, we can learn to appreciate our quirks and accept our flaws. We can also develop a healthier relationship with our thoughts and emotions. Perhaps most importantly, self-love helps us to feel worthy of happiness and deserving of love.

In a world that often tells us we are not enough, the practice of self-love is a powerful act of defiance. It is a way of saying, “I am worthy of love and respect – no matter what.”

When we love ourselves, we open up the possibility for others to do the same.

All In All…

Self-love is a journey, not a destination.

The self-love journey is never truly complete because we are constantly evolving and changing. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth embarking on.

This is a chance to get to know and accept ourselves on a deeper level. It is an opportunity to practice self care and develop a healthier relationship with our thoughts, emotions, and bodies. And, most importantly, it is a way to show ourselves that we are worthy of love and respect.

So, if you’re ready to start your self-love journey, remember that you are worthy of love, respect, and happiness. And know that you are not alone – we are all on our own journeys together.

All the best !

Toshoya loves to try new things and embark on new experiences. She loves to spend her time researching and learning new self-help techniques that she can implement and share with others. She truly believes that by becoming our highest selves, we can achieve a vibrant and fulfilling life.

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Self Care 101: A Step-by-Step Guide to Your Self Love Journey

Self care is the way in which we care for our mental, emotional and physical health. It’s activities we do to keep us as our best selves. Practicing self care is an action-oriented way that we can show ourselves self love. Self love is exactly what it sounds like, loving yourself. It means loving all aspects of yourself, by accepting your flaws, your weaknesses and the things you don’t always like about yourself. It is also about holding high standards for your own well-being and happiness.

For many people, concepts of self care and self love can be new. After all, we are often taught that prioritizing yourself or your needs is selfish and that you should focus your energies on other people. But practicing self love doesn’t make you selfish, or a narcissist, it just means that you won’t settle for less than you deserve, because you understand and respect your own needs. Practicing self care and self love often just means extending the same respect and care you have for others to yourself. We have all heard the saying treat others how you want to be treated. But when thinking about self love and self care it is often important to consider the opposite. Treat yourself with the same kindness and grace you extend to friends, families and loved ones in your life. We are often much kinder to our loved ones than we are to ourselves.

As the saying goes, we are often our own worst critics. Practicing self love means ditching that old adage and moving forward, by creating an environment for yourself in which you can make mistakes, grow and flourish. Self love is a great goal to have, but in practice it may seem a bit abstract to try and achieve, especially if you are not in the habit of practicing self care.

Self care is a practice that can lead you to more self love over time. Self love is not something that will happen for you overnight, especially if you are coming from a place of self-hate, harsh criticism, perfectionism, etc. etc., but it can be slowly incorporated into your life through consistent acts of self care. Working self care into your routine with small, achievable steps will increase your self-kindness, self love and common humanity.

Here are ten tips you can follow when you are on your journey to self love.

Steps to Practice Self Love Everyday

1. recognizing and accepting your emotional state:.

No one is happy all the time. Nor are they positive or the best version of themselves each and every day. An important part of self love is holding yourself to reasonable standards. You must acknowledge that some days will be better than others, and that it’s totally okay to have an off day, or week or even a slump period. It’s important to check in with your emotional state frequently, so that you can recognize your moods and learn to accept them. In practice, this means not acting like things are fine, when you know they aren’t. How frustrated do you feel when someone says “I’m fine” or “It’s nothing” when they clearly are NOT fine and it clearly IS something?? Don’t play those same games with yourself. Tune into your emotional state so that you can act and plan accordingly!

Not only must you recognize your emotional state, but you need to accept it as well. A key part of accepting your emotional state as it is, is tailoring your plans or your routine to your current state. Learning to check in with your emotional state is the basis of any good self care routine. It is also important to recognize when a slump period has gone on for too long. While it is important to cut yourself some slack, take some downtime, or totally give into a bad mood every once in a while, it is also important to understand that our actions, habits and routines can really effect our moods! If you are having a major slump, consider how you can change your routine in a positive way to try to get back in the swing of things. Self care is often a balance of showing yourself kindness and forgiveness and maintaining good habits that work to actively improve your mood.

2. Take time for yourself

Attention all extroverts (and introverts as well)! As great as it is to be around people and to socialize, it’s super important to take time for yourself so that you can evaluate your emotional state (the importance of which we explained above) and dedicate some time to self care. A lot of people have the tendency to stretch themselves really thin between work, daily life and social obligations. And we get it, having a fun social event to look forward to is often what helps get people through the week.

Afterall, who doesn’t love a good Wednesday evening plan to get them through hump day? But it’s important that these social events don’t interfere with your much-needed me-time. For people with extreme FOMO, it can be very difficult to turn down a fun night out or a movie with friends. But sometimes activities that you normally find fun are completely exhausting, because you really should have taken that free time to reflect inward and do some self care. We are not suggesting that you flake on your social calendar, just that you should pencil in some time to do things that rejuvenate you. This can mean literally scheduling time on your calendar that allows you to recuperate! Though finding this alone time in your busy life might seem like the hardest part, once you do carve out some alone time, it’s important not to waste it!

Don’t spend time reserved for self care scrolling through your phone or mindlessly watching TV! Take some time (even just a few minutes!) to do some mindfulness activities and whatever else helps you check in with your emotions. This can mean scheduling a weekly yoga class, planning on taking a walk after work, downloading a meditation app, or taking up journaling. There is no wrong way to practice self care as long as you're doing activities that help you destress and feel grounded. It’s not selfish to prioritize alone time so that you can focus on self love, it’s a non-negotiable step of your self care routine.

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3. Get enough sleep

Sleep is SO important, and often SO overlooked in this day and age. People often find that when they’re super busy and stressed out that their sleep cycle takes a hit. When you have so many things on your plate, it can be easy to justify late nights and early mornings just so that you can squeeze everything in. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and cutting out a lazy morning in bed may feel like the only option. But, when sacrificing your sleep becomes the norm, your mental and physical health will be negatively affected.

When you’re on your journey to self love, it’s important to upkeep your physical and mental health so that you have the time and the energy to work on your emotional health, and self love. Getting enough sleep is the foundation of all forms of health! In addition to getting enough sleep, make sure that you focus on the quality of your sleep. Creating a bedtime routine is a good first step towards improving the quantity and quality of your sleep. There are tons of sleep apps out on the market that can help you track your sleep and can help you fall asleep.

4. Exercising

Physical activity is super tied in to our moods as well as our physical and mental health. A key part of self care is maintaining your physical health so that your body is functioning properly and serving you. Another key part of self care is our mental health, and exercise helps with that too!

Exercise can boost endorphins and help us relieve all the stress that builds up in day-to-day life. If you are really stressed out, adding one more thing (like going to the gym) to your to-do list might seem overwhelming. But exercise doesn’t have to mean sweating it out in the gym! It can be as simple as taking a walk on your lunch break, or doing 30 minutes of yoga (there are apps for that!) when you get home. Getting into a routine that incorporates exercise into your daily life will help maintain your mental and physical health and help you along on your journey to self love.

If you are not in the habit of exercising it can be intimidating to go on a mile-long run, or sign up for a yoga class. Remember to hold yourself to reasonable standards and allow yourself to ease into a more active lifestyle. If you push yourself too hard in the beginning, you will probably get discouraged and give up on exercise altogether. Instead, try to slowly incorporate more movement into your lifestyle and work up towards more vigorous activity. This can mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking at the farthest spot in the parking lot, or hopping off the train or bus a couple stops earlier than you need to to get a walk in.

5. Eating right

How can you expect to be the best version of yourself if you feel terrible? Paying attention to your diet is an important part of self care, because it contributes to how you feel as well as your energy level. You can exercise as much as you want, but if all you eat is junk, there is no chance that you’re going to feel good or be in good physical health. Also, eating healthy can make it WAY easier to exercise, because it leads to higher amounts of energy. Eating right doesn’t mean that you need to be dieting all the time! It’s not about your weight, but more about how you feel. Pay attention to foods that upset your body (a lot of people have intolerances to food that they’re completely unaware of!), and try to get all your main food groups in. Eating right can also affect your mental health. Eating healthy foods can actually help your short-term memory, so, yah, brain foods totally do exist! Eating things like fatty fish, nuts, leafy greens and foods high in antioxidants (blueberries, acai berries) is great for your body, and can actually help your brain function.

Whether you’re ordering in or cooking together, beginning a nutrition journey can bring you and your partner closer. For more ways to get healthy and start feeling good in your relationship, try Relish free for 7 days.

6. Using self-talk

A huge part of your self care journey is learning to engage in positive self-talk. Self-talk is the inner dialogue we have running through our heads most hours of the day. Self-talk is normally something that we do unconsciously and it is often indicative of our subconscious thoughts and feelings. Sometimes our self-talk can be very negative, leading to feelings of self-doubt, self-judgement and even self-loathing. If you find that your self-talk narrative is overwhelmingly negative, don’t fear - there are mindfulness strategies you can use to shift your inner dialogue to be more positive.

An easy and actionable way to do this is to give yourself positive affirmations . What are things you like about yourself? What are you proud of? Reminding yourself of these things on a daily basis (maybe as a part of your morning routine as you brush your teeth for example) can put you in a more positive frame of mind that will organically encourage positive self-talk. An important part of using self-talk to your benefit, is catching yourself when you engage in negative self-talk. If you notice this, try to pinpoint the cause, and move forward in a forgiving way that encourages positivity.

7. Challenging a negative story about yourself

Sometimes if negative self-talk goes unchecked for too long, we start to develop negative narratives about ourselves that can end up being really damaging to our self-esteem . We end up internalizing these negative narratives about ourselves and before we know it, these stories end up changing our attitudes and even our behaviors.

In order to get to the root of the problem, you need to identify the negative stories you’re telling yourself about yourself. Where do these negative stories come from? Are they rooted in a single incident? Next, you need to figure out why you hold on to these negative stories. If you are able to identify why you are perpetuating these stories, you can help break the negative thought cycle that is perpetuating negative self-talk. To challenge these negative stories, you can engage in the same positive self-talk strategies listed above. Start highlighting the good things about yourself to yourself so that you can internalize a positive narrative.

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8. Forgiving yourself

This means embracing self-compassion. We all make mistakes – big and small– and while at the time they may seem earth-shattering, they probably aren’t. Life moves on and so should you. Embracing self-compassion will allow you to reflect on your actions with kindness, empathy and support, which will allow you to forgive yourself for whatever happened. Holding onto a grudge against yourself can be as damaging as holding onto a grudge against someone else.

Grudges require holding on to a huge amount of negative energy, which can be absolutely exhausting. Letting go of the negative feelings you have about yourself or your actions through forgiveness will free up your energy and emotional capacity so that you can embrace more loving behavior.

9. Committing to self love

Achieving self love can be a long journey, not something that just happens overnight. It can take a long time to undo the bad habits we pick up along the way that cause us to be unkind to ourselves. It is important to remember that this is a process that can take time and commitment. Self love is not about instant gratification. Most of us know how to give ourselves a little pick-me-up, whether it’s treating yourself to ice cream, buying a cute new top, or bingeing a couple episodes of your favorite show. And while these things are fun, and you should totally continue to indulge in them, they are not long-term avenues to self-kindness and self love. While you’re on your journey, don’t forget about the little things that bring you joy, but remember that mindfulness and dedication are the keys to success.

10. Commit to learning more

Words like self care and mindfulness seem to be all over the place these days, which is such a win as we all learn to become more introspective and accepting of who we are. This is a noticeably new trend, which means that more research and techniques are coming out all the time. An important part of your self care journey should be committing to trying new avenues for self care, and continuing to learn as these ideas advance. We can always learn to show ourselves more compassion and love. Keeping up on the most recent literature on the subject can help you find creative new ways to care for yourself! Read a book or download a new mindfulness app or even seek out online forums that discuss self care techniques. Engaging with new materials will teach you more and more about how to take care of your mental, physical and emotional state.

Just like any relationship, practicing self-care and self love takes time, patience and commitment. Let Relish help you on your self love journey with unlimited one-on-one coaching, customized lesson plans and more. Click here to get started for free!

Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WKvGfnM4BI

By Caitlin Killoren on Jul 30, 2020

With a degree in Psychology and over a decade of experience, Caitlin has made improving people's relationships both her career and her passion. Her work has been featured in publications like Bustle, Well + Good, and Goalcast, and she currently resides in Austin, Texas with her husband and giant fluffy dog, Remy.

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Self Love , Self Care , Self Improvement · September 29, 2021

How To Start A Self Love Journey For Beginners

Congratulations on taking the first step of learning how to start your self love journey! Read this blog post to learn more on how to navigate the journey of self love.

To give a disclaimer before I begin: I’m young AF. I’m in my early 20s and I mainly know how to start a self love journey from a young person’s perspective. It might be difficult to learn from me if you are older. I feel so weird and awkward giving my 30-something-year-old cousins advice, so… I don’t ever want to be a 20-something life coach. I want to give advice about self love. I truly know how to advise teenagers and 20-somethings.

Disclaimer 2: I honestly recommend getting a therapist. Finding a therapist that works for you does wonderful things for your mental health. After reading this post, please Google, “how to find a therapist” because therapy changed my self-esteem and anxiety tremendously.

I learned that reading all the posts and IG self love quotes is one step out of many when on a self love journey. A self love journey is also continuous.

Table of Contents

How I Started My Self Love Journey

When I turned 20, I told myself that I’m not spending my 20s hating myself just like I did when I was a teenager. I was exhausted and tired of crying myself to sleep, fitting beauty standards that weren’t ever meant for me to fit, overworking, feeling like everyone else is better and prettier than me, and everything else. I was mentally, physically, spiritually, and even somehow mathematically exhausted.

I was closing my third semester of college and I had the worst semester ever. I was trying to fit into a crowd that wasn’t ever going to accept me, took a lot of my professor’s shi*ty attitudes personally, overworking myself to please my then-boss, and felt ugly. It seems like everyone was living their best life and I wasn’t. I felt like a complete failure.

Self love was something I always wanted. I honestly don’t want a million dollars or to be the smartest person in the world or the prettiest either. I want to be so confident and to love myself fully. You have no idea how jealous (and I admit it) I get of people who are so confident (and not the kind of confidence that’s a front to impress others) and full of self-love.

But being a self love journey never honestly ends. It’s almost like a muscle that we always have to take care of.

Here are my self love journey tips:

How To Start a Self Love Journey

1. realizing that you want to change & that you are worthy of self love..

Like I mentioned before, I was tired of hating myself. Hating myself was not getting me anyway and I finally realized it. I read a quote once that went like this, “Hating yourself isn’t getting you anywhere; why not try loving yourself.”

We are generally harder on ourselves and it’s so hard to love ourselves. I know. I’m still learning how to love myself.

Related: 100 Positive Affirmations for Self Love To Help You Love Yourself

2. Take time to get to know yourself.

This part of the self love journey can go in many directions, but it’s important to know who you want to love aka YOU. Figure out what you like and what you dislike. Create boundaries. Learn your love language .

This part of the self love journey is crucial. I recommend that everyone takes the time to figure out who they are and learn how to accept themselves. It’s difficult and I’m still trying to accept myself (even after a year after writing this blog post) .

3. Take care of your body.

Yes, that includes exercising and eating healthier. I can honestly say that exercising has made me feel more confident about myself. A good 30 minutes of exercising changes my whole day and mood. I may not have my ideal body yet but the fact that my body can move, stretch, sweat, etc. is so amazing.

Aside from exercising, you should change your diet to healthier options. I know that may be a pain in the butt to change your whole diet, but it’s worth it. The foods you eat affect your mood and energy. It is also important to remember in order to care about your body, you have to nourish it. Yes, it’s nice to eat doughnuts and pizza now and then, but it shouldn’t be every day.

Finally, you also need rest. Resting is a huge challenge for me because I love working and doing my hobbies. I find that sometimes resting is the best option for me. If someone you love was working all night until they couldn’t keep their eyes open, you’d most likely tell them that they need to go to bed. You have to know when to tell yourself that.

Related: Beginner Yoga Equipment You Need Before Your First Yoga Class

4. Start a gratitude journal.

Gratitude is one of the best emotions you can have. When I started my self love journey, I used a small notebook. Now I can probably fill up a college-ruled notebook with things I like about myself and what I’m grateful for. I also included external things and I remember thinking about how great my old college apartment was during my senior year of college and how grateful I was for it.

Understanding what gratitude is can help you on your self love journey because of how you appreciate what you already have.

Update: I also find gratitude helps out a lot more when you’re consuming tons of social media, especially TikTok or Instagram because of the consumerism and influencers constantly telling you that you need this product or that product or need this to look better. Sure, there are products that may help you, but most of the time influencers recommend products for the check—let’s be honest.

5. Write a list of things you like about yourself.

I know this sounds hard, especially in the beginning. But when I first started my self-love journey, I made myself write a page of things I liked about myself. I challenged myself. Even if I struggled, I finished the page. It’s one of the self love habits that is the hardest. Even though I don’t do it that much anymore, it’s a nice way to begin. You have to like something about yourself (even if it is your taste in music or the way you can draw or if you can do a backflip).

Also, a thing that helped me with my self-esteem is that I realized that I never hated myself when I was younger. I learned how to hate the littlest things about myself due to society’s beauty standards and being told simple things such as hairy legs is a flaw. Remember those beauty companies have to make money so they created random flaws (e.g. thigh gaps, hip dips, etc.) I also realized that most of my insecurities also stem from other people projecting their own onto me.

6. Start with small habits of kindness toward yourself.

Take yourself on dates. Buy things that you love. Save money for a nice vacation. It’s the little things that count. Pay off your credit cards. I recommend getting into the habit of creating habits to help you achieve the life you want. One book that changed my view of habits was Atomic Habits by James Clear . It helps you realize that habits can be good or bad and how doing a small thing every day can yield huge results.

Related: 9 Lessons from Atomic Habits that I Wish I Knew Earlier

7. Work on self-talk.

This is the BIGGEST change I made in my self-love journey. It wasn’t until I went to therapy that I learned what self-talk was. Self-talk essentially is the way that we talk to ourselves. We are always going to be our biggest critics. Changing my self-talk is one self love technique that I always have to do. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m not as critical of myself, but there are times when I feel pressured and self-reject myself, especially at my first job after college.

I recommend trying to find evidence for your thoughts and starting to question them. For example, if you consistently think everyone hates you at your job, then figure out if they really do. I remember this one of the things I was telling myself, but I didn’t have any evidence. I was assuming and catastrophizing (more terms from my therapist).

Basically, work on how you talk to yourself. Most of the thoughts that we have are very black and white or extreme. A majority of our thoughts are not even our own. Our brain picks up on so much each day. 99% of the time people project their insecurities, values, fear, and opinions on us. Speak kindly to yourself. It’s enough that the world makes things hard, don’t add to it….which adds to my next point.

8. Be easier on yourself.

As I mentioned before, it’s hard to love yourself. In a world where we are taught that our natural features are flaws and that some random product will fix it, it’s just hard. It’s not until you realize that most of our flaws aren’t flaws that it gets easier. Society creates such rigid, unrealistic beauty standards that should not even exist. We’re humans. We are going to make mistakes. Most things are out of our control, anyway. We are going to not look perfect. Perfection does not exist.

Simply, be easier on yourself. Do not give yourself impossible expectations.

Related: 100 Self Care Ideas To Get You Started in Practicing Self Care

9. Reject society’s expectations and pressures and follow your own path.

One of the key steps of being on a self love journey is rejecting society’s expectations for your age, beauty, and lifestyle. Like I mentioned before, society has unrealistic beauty standards and expectations for us. Most of these expectations are outdated and only for the extremely wealthy, lucky, and/or intelligent. We only see the special .00001% of people.

Quit comparing yourself to the 19-year-old millionaire. They probably did not have fun during their teens and had to work every day or had a trust fund.

Quit comparing yourself to the ultra-beautiful girl on Instagram. She may have plastic surgery. She maybe hates her body. Maybe she uses Photoshop (which a lot of influencers use, so PLEASE DON’T COMPARE.)

Quit being jealous of the popular friend group at your school. They probably do not even like each other and only tolerate each other for convenience.

Quit comparing. It steals the joy.

Instead, figure out your own path in life. Again, find yourself. Learn what you love and dislike. If you don’t want a corporate job, then find another job path. Learn how to ignore society’s impossible standards. Also, learn that Instagram and most social media are just people’s highlight reels. Gone are the days of casual and fun social media, sadly.

Related: The Best 30 Day Social Media Detox Guide (+ Free Printable)

10. Surround yourself with positivity.

Listen to motivational videos, follow self love and body positivity accounts on social media, unfollow anyone who makes you feel unworthy, and keep a Pinterest board just for positive quotes. Fight negativity with positivity. Learn how to be realistic with your thoughts and actions instead of jumping to conclusions and thinking the worst. Think about a positive outcome and if that’s too hard for you at first, think of neutrality.

To add, also don’t be delusional about your positivity or get into toxic positivity. I prefer to find practical positivity. For example, I may not be the best, but I’m a hard worker and my best is enough. I’m not the best at this task today, but I can learn how to get better if I keep trying.

Update: I know that a lot of self love prompts and quotes turn into this “Everyone loves me” or “I’m the most beautiful or attractive in the room,” which is fine. I do not want to diss anyone who likes this type of content. But that is a long way from first starting out loving yourself and isn’t addressing if you love yourself internally even if you’re not the most attractive in the room. Because there will be times when you simply aren’t and are you going to be fine with that? I honestly feel like it’s super surface-level. This is a new trend I’ve seen everywhere on social media and think it can be more useful. Instead, the quote can be “I love me,” “I’m beautiful in my own way” or “I’m beautiful according to my personalized beauty standards.”

11. Learn your love language.

During my first self love journey, I wrote down affirmations daily and journaled a lot. I also listened to positive videos. This helped me a lot because my love language is words of affirmation.

Find out what your love language is and self love exercises and activities for it.

Related: How To Use Your Love Language for Self Love & Self Care

12. Realizing that material items don’t mean much.

A ton of self love/self care content centers on buying this and that. But I will tell you that I got caught in spending tons of money on material items that later did not matter. Yes, buy those face masks for Self Care Sunday and buy yourself a nice outfit now and then.

But DO NOT rely on materialism. A lot of self love and care content tells you to buy whatever. But are you coping with life through shopping sprees and retail therapy?

You don’t need a designer bag or fancy sports car for self love. You need to work on your thoughts, habits, and self image.

13. Set standards for every aspect of your life.

It’s common for people to say set standards for dating, but really we need standards everywhere. Even for things such as eating, socializing, and how you treat yourself. One thing that was personally hard for me was sticking to my standards. If I didn’t want to buy produce at a certain store, I didn’t. It’s hard when you have limited options, but have standards.

This even goes as far as what thoughts you tolerate and the habits you have. Create standards for both external and internal things. It’s not being picky, but it’s realizing what you like and what you don’t want. You don’t owe anyone anything.

You don’t have to work at this job. You don’t have to lower your dating standards. You don’t have to hang out with those people. Set standards and stick to them.

14. Do a lot of self-reflecting.

Journal. Journal. Journal. Be with yourself. This is where you truly learn about yourself. Question your insecurities and projections. Figure out if you are settling or if you are leveling up.

15. Realize that going on a self love journey is not easy.

There is a lot of heartbreak and healing when it comes to a self love journey. You can look up all the self love activities and tips, but you need to realize that it takes commitment and work. It’s not easy. You’ll have times when you realize that you felt like you wasted so much time. You’ll realize that you need to go back to the drawing board. There are times when you think you’re good, but really not. You really need to sit back and realize that you are taking a huge step towards undoing a lot of what you learned and changing habits.

16. Commit to self love.

Over the summer, I realized I needed to adjust and get back on my self love journey. 2020 was rough and 2021 was rougher for me. I graduated college and had tons of anxiety because I was distracting myself from the fact that I was no longer a student and my life was centered around being a student. I had a lot of regrets and felt like a failure. I was constantly comparing and looking at people’s Instagram.

I failed to commit to self love and putting myself first. I was so caught up in what others were doing that I wasn’t even realizing the things I had. I lacked patience, abundance, and self-compassion.

I recommend really sitting and realizing that self love is a commitment. It’s a muscle that you have to work out. It’s like a plant that you have to water. It’s realizing that self love isn’t all rainbows and butterflies.

17. Self love is continuous.

Originally, I wrote this blog post back in 2021, and about a year and a half later, things later. I’m older, a little wiser, and more of an adult. I think that now I realize that a self love journey is really a journey. It never stops. Similar to the last point, self love is a commitment and it’s an important commitment that we promise ourselves. Now, that I’m looking back and reflecting, I think that we always need to check in ourselves. I thought for a while that I was at peak self love and that it’ll stay, but it dropped and I had to get back on a focused self love path. I think that we need to realize that self love isn’t a one time thing we do, but it should be ingrained in our habits and for us to continuously work on.

Overall, I recommend starting out with a 30-day self love journey challenge and reflecting on it. Take it easy and be easy on yourself.

Kinda optional:

Also, I recommend listening to BTS’s Love Yourself album or even one song. This album honestly is what made me revive my self-love journey over the summer. I listen to that album a lot to remind myself that I have reasons to love myself. I recommend checking out my blog post about BTS self-love songs because their music honestly is so moving and deeper than you’d ever expect.

Found this post useful? Remember to pin it! ⬇️

This blog post was all about how to start your self love journey.

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Self Love Journey: 9 Habits That Can Transform Your Life

Last Updated on 3 months by Iva Ursano

Life can be challenging, and we all go through hardships that can leave us feeling exhausted and discouraged. But it is precisely during these difficult times that self love becomes even more important. It serves as a gentle reminder that you deserve your love and compassion, regardless of the obstacles you encounter. By embarking on a self love journey, you will discover the strength and resilience necessary to navigate these hardships gracefully.

Incorporating these 9 empowering habits into your daily life allows you to cultivate a deep sense of self-worth and acceptance. It empowers you to embrace your vulnerabilities and grow from them. When you prioritize self-care, self-compassion, and other nurturing habits, you send a powerful message to yourself that you deserve love and kindness, no matter what challenges you face. If you’re looking for other self-help tips, take a look at these self-improvement quotes and confidence-building practices .

9 Practices For Your Self Love Journey

Get to know who you really are.

A woman looking at herself in the mirror

Discovering oneself is a vital aspect of the self love journey. It opens up a world of possibilities as you learn to truly embrace and appreciate who you are. Take the time to explore and understand yourself on a deeper level. Uncover your likes and dislikes, as they are a reflection of your authentic preferences and desires. Establishing boundaries is also an important step in getting to know yourself. It allows you to protect your emotional well-being and honor your needs.

Prioritize your well-being

Prioritizing yourself is an essential act of self love that should never be met with guilt or hesitation. As women, we often find ourselves naturally inclined to put others before ourselves. While there may be occasions where this is necessary, it should not become a habitual practice that compromises our mental and emotional well-being. Whether it’s dedicating a day to rest in the comfort of your bed or immersing yourself in the serenity of nature, find what helps you decompress and make it a priority in your life.

Daily Boost: 30+ Positive Affirmations

Have standards and stick with them

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Setting and maintaining standards is an important aspect of self love that extends beyond just dating. It applies to various aspects of our lives, including our choices in food, social interactions, and even how we treat ourselves. This includes setting standards for the thoughts you entertain and the habits you cultivate. Establishing both external and internal standards allows you to define what aligns with your values and desires. It’s not about being overly picky, but rather about recognizing what truly resonates with you and what you don’t want in your life.

Choose optimism over pessimism

Choosing to embrace optimism as a self love habit is a powerful way to cultivate a positive mindset and nurture your well-being. Feed your mind with motivational videos, follow accounts on social media that promote self love and body positivity, and make a conscious effort to unfollow anyone who brings you down or makes you feel unworthy. Create a Pinterest board dedicated to uplifting quotes and affirmations. By surrounding yourself with positivity, you can combat negativity and embrace a more optimistic outlook.

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Look after your body

Taking care of your body is a holistic approach to self-care and self love. Incorporating exercise into your routine can boost your confidence and overall well-being. Just 30 minutes of physical activity can uplift your mood and transform your day. While your ideal body may be a work in progress, it’s important to appreciate the incredible capabilities of your body – its ability to move, stretch, and sweat. Nourishing your body with conscious food choices is vital. Although changing your diet may require effort, the impact on your mood and energy is well worth it. While indulging in treats like doughnuts and pizza occasionally is okay, prioritizing a balanced and nutritious diet forms the foundation of caring for your body.

Don’t let other people’s opinions bring you down

In the pursuit of self love, it’s crucial not to let the opinions and expectations of others bring you down. Worrying about what society thinks or trying to please everyone is a futile effort that only hinders your progress and personal growth. Remember, you cannot please everyone, and that’s okay. Embrace the fact that your journey to becoming the best version of yourself is unique and personal. Focus on aligning your actions and decisions with your values and aspirations, disregarding the noise of external judgments. Embracing this mindset allows you to break free from the shackles of societal expectations and fully embrace your path of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

Don’t compare yourself to other people

In a society that constantly encourages competition, it’s natural to find ourselves comparing ourselves to others. However, this habit can be detrimental to our well-being. The truth is, there is no point in comparing yourself to anyone else because there is only one unique version of you in this world. Instead of wasting energy on comparing, shift your focus inward and embrace your own journey. By redirecting your energy towards self-improvement and self-acceptance, you will experience a newfound sense of freedom and authenticity. Embrace the beauty of being you, and remember that your worth is not defined by how you measure up to others, but by your growth and self love.

Boost Your Confidence: 20+ Body Positivity Affirmations To Practice

Say goodbye to toxic people

In life, not everyone is accountable for the energy they emit. When you encounter someone who consistently brings toxicity into your life and refuses to take responsibility for it, it may be time to distance yourself from them. Don’t be afraid to make this choice. It is a liberating and essential step, even if it brings temporary pain. Always prioritize protecting your energy and well-being. It is not impolite or incorrect to remove yourself from situations or the company of individuals who drain you emotionally and mentally. Surround yourself with positivity and those who uplift and support you on your journey to self love and personal growth.

Stay in touch with your emotions

One of the most powerful acts of self love is allowing yourself to fully experience and acknowledge your emotions, whether they are positive or negative. Embrace the full spectrum of your feelings without imposing limitations on them. Fear, pain, and joy are all integral parts of the human experience, and through them, you can gain a deeper understanding of yourself. Remember, your emotions do not define you. They are simply a part of your journey, providing valuable insights and opportunities for growth. By staying in touch with your feelings, you cultivate self-awareness and nurture a greater sense of self love and acceptance.

Self Love Is A Journey Worth Taking

Throughout your self love journey, keep in mind that it will unfold gradually over time. While it may not happen overnight, the practice of self love will eventually find its place within your heart. It’s natural to face challenges and moments of struggle along the way, but in hindsight, you will realize that these difficulties were pivotal stepping stones on your path to personal growth and self-acceptance. The road to self love is paved with self-discovery, resilience, and an unwavering belief in your inherent worthiness. Keep going, and celebrate every step forward on this extraordinary journey of self love.

If you enjoyed learning about the different habits you can try along your self love journey, make sure to also look into these inspiring topics:

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Self-Love 101: How to Start Your Self Love Journey

Welcome to your transformative journey of self-discovery and self-love. In this ultimate guide, we will explore the significance of self-love in leading a happy, fulfilling life and provide you with practical steps to kickstart your own self-love journey.

We will show you how to start your self love journey – an odyssey filled with growth, acceptance, and inner peace. Whether you’re battling low self-esteem or struggling with negative thoughts , we are here to provide insights and strategies that will help pave the way for a healthier mindset and a happier life.

Get ready for an exhilarating voyage towards positive mental health like no other! Your entire life is going to change when loving yourself becomes a priority!

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Related Article: 15 Reasons to Fall in Love with Taking Care of Yourself

How to Start Your Self Love Journey

Starting your self-love journey is a transformative step towards embracing your uniqueness, cultivating inner peace, and nurturing a positive relationship with yourself. It’s time to prioritize self-care, boost your confidence, and unlock the limitless potential within you.

Let’s embark on this empowering voyage of self-discovery together and create a life filled with love, compassion, and authenticity.

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Understanding Self-Love

We’ll begin by defining self-love. Self-love is all about accepting and embracing yourself unconditionally, without being selfish or egotistical. It’s not just about indulging yourself or being vain.

By practicing self-compassion and acceptance, you can boost your mental and emotional well-being, increase self-esteem, and have better relationships.

To practice self-love, start by being mindful of your self-talk and inner dialogue. Pay attention to how you speak to yourself and challenge any negative or critical thoughts that pop into your mind. Instead, replace them with positive affirmations and self-compassion.

For example, if you make a mistake, remind yourself that it’s a part of being human and offer yourself words of encouragement and support just like you would a friend. This would be a great start to your self-love journey!

a close up of a woman with her hands crossed over her heart and a heart necklace

Benefits of Practicing Self-Love

When you cultivate self-love, you unlock a multitude of benefits that positively impact your mental, emotional, and even physical well-being. Good things will come your way and your future self will be most appreciative. Let’s look at some specific benefits and practical tips for practicing self-love.

a) Improved mental and emotional well-being : By practicing self-love, you develop a stronger sense of self-worth and inner peace. It helps you build resilience and cope with life’s challenges more effectively; you’re better equipped to manage stress, anxiety, and negative emotions.

b) Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence: Self-love boosts your self-esteem by recognizing your strengths, accomplishments, and unique qualities. As a result, your self-confidence grows, empowering you to pursue your goals and dreams with belief in your abilities.

c) Healthier relationships : When you genuinely love and accept yourself, you establish healthier boundaries in relationships. You become more discerning in choosing people who uplift and support you. Self-love allows you to communicate your needs effectively and fosters deeper connections with others based on mutual respect and understanding.

a middle-aged woman cleanses her face as part of her self care practices

Practical Tips for Practicing Self-Love

Practicing self-love is a journey, and it requires consistent effort and self-reflection. Here are some practical tips to help you integrate self-love into your daily life:

Self-compassion: Be gentle with yourself and treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer dear friends and family members. Acknowledge and validate your feelings, especially during challenging times. Practice self-compassion by speaking to yourself in a supportive and nurturing manner.
Self care: Prioritize self-care activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul. This could include activities like taking a relaxing bath, going for a walk in nature, practicing meditation or mindfulness, or engaging in hobbies that bring you joy. Set aside dedicated time for self-care regularly to recharge and rejuvenate.
Boundaries: Learn to set healthy boundaries with people and situations to protect your well-being and preserve your energy. It’s essential to recognize when to say no to things that do not align with your values or deplete your energy. By establishing boundaries, you create space for self-love to flourish.
Gratitude and affirmations: Practice gratitude by regularly acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of your life. This cultivates a mindset of abundance and helps shift your focus from what is lacking to what you have. Additionally, incorporate positive affirmations into your daily routine. Use statements that uplift and empower you, reinforcing self-love and self-belief.

Remember, self-love is a continuous practice, and it may take time to fully embrace it. It could be a long journey. Be patient and kind to yourself. Celebrate your progress, however small, and allow self-love to transform your life, one day at a time.

beautiful woman sitting on a comfortable chair hugging herself and showing how to start your self love journey

Discover Your Authentic Self

To embark on your self-love journey, it is essential to connect with your authentic self . Start by engaging in self-reflection and self-awareness exercises.

Take the time to explore your values, passions, and desires. By doing so, you’ll gain clarity about what truly matters to you.

Additionally, identify your strengths and areas for growth to help empower you to make positive changes and embrace personal development .

Practice Self-Reflection and Self-Awareness

Self-reflection and self-awareness are fundamental steps in uncovering your authentic self. They allow you to gain deeper insights into your values, passions, and desires, helping you align your life with what truly matters to you.

To engage in self-reflection, set aside dedicated time for introspection. Find a quiet space where you can be alone with your thoughts.

Ask yourself meaningful questions, such as: What brings me joy? What are my core values? What are my aspirations and dreams? Reflecting on these questions will help you gain clarity and uncover the unique essence of your authentic self.

Additionally, journaling can be a powerful tool for self-reflection. Use journaling prompts for self love to help you reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Explore patterns, recurring themes, and moments of alignment or dissonance.

a young woman smiles in a mirror with a heart drawn on it

Unleash Your Inner Voice

Your inner voice can be your greatest cheerleader or your harshest critic. To foster self-love, it’s crucial to quiet self-doubt and negative self-talk.

It is important to learn how to cultivate positive affirmations and practice self-encouragement. By shifting your internal narrative, you’ll nurture a supportive and empowering relationship with yourself. Practice positive self-talk every single day.

Related Article: 30 Curated Positive Self Talk Quotes to Rewire Your Mindset

Notice when negative thoughts arise and make it a healthy habit to challenge their validity. Replace self-criticism with self-compassion and encouragement. For instance, if you catch yourself thinking, “I’m not good enough,” reframe it as, “I am enough, just as I am. I deserve love and acceptance.”

Affirmations are a powerful tool for unleashing your inner voice. Use positive affirmations for self love that resonate with you and reflect your authentic self.

Repeat your affirmations daily, particularly during moments of self-doubt or insecurity. By consistently reinforcing positive beliefs, you can reshape your inner voice to be a source of love and support.

a beautiful young woman gives herself a hug as she learns how to start your self love journey

Practical Tips for Discovering Your Authentic Self

Engage in creative self-expression: Find creative outlets that allow you to express yourself authentically. This could include painting, writing, dancing, or playing a musical instrument. Engaging in creative activities helps you tap into your inner emotions, desires, and unique perspectives.
Explore new experiences: Step out of your comfort zone and try new things. By exploring diverse experiences, you expand your horizons and discover aspects of yourself that may have remained hidden. Take up a new hobby, travel to new places, or engage in activities that challenge you. Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow by exploring new and different things in life.
Seek feedback from trusted sources: Reach out to people you trust, such as friends, family, or mentors, and ask for their feedback. Inquire about how they perceive your strengths, talents, and unique qualities. Sometimes, others can offer valuable insights that help you see yourself from a different perspective.
Embrace vulnerability: Being vulnerable allows you to connect more deeply with yourself and others. Share your authentic thoughts and feelings with trusted individuals who create a safe space for you. Vulnerability fosters authenticity and helps you embrace your true self without fear of judgment or rejection.

Remember, discovering your authentic self is an ongoing process. Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you explore and uncover different aspects of who you are. Embrace the journey of self-discovery, and let your authentic self shine through in all areas of your life.

rocks laying among pastel roses that say body soul mind

Nurture Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Self-love encompasses caring for your entire being—mind, body, and soul. Prioritize self-care by developing healthy habits and routines that promote your well-being. Self-care is the foundation of self-love.

Engage in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment, whether it’s practicing yoga, indulging in a hobby, or simply taking time for relaxation. Practice the power of mindfulness and gratitude, helping you appreciate the present moment and find beauty in life’s simplest pleasures.

Prioritize Self-Care

Self-care is essential for nurturing your overall well-being and fostering self-love. It involves intentionally setting aside time and energy to attend to your physical, emotional, and mental needs.

Developing healthy habits and routines is a key aspect of self-care. This can include practicing regular exercise, getting sufficient sleep, and maintaining a balanced diet.

Engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment is equally important. Whether it’s reading, practicing mindfulness, or pursuing creative hobbies , find activities that replenish and nourish your soul.

Creating a self-care routine encourages you to make self-care a non-negotiable part of your life. Block out dedicated time in your schedule for activities that prioritize your well-being. Treat this time as sacred and commit to it just as you would with any other important commitment.

Practice meditation, engage in mindful activities, and use a gratitude journal — all are easy ways to prioritize self-care.

a beach with mindfulness written in the sand

Practice Mindfulness and Gratitude

Mindfulness and gratitude are powerful practices that help you cultivate self-love and live in the present moment.

Mindfulness involves being fully present and aware of your thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgment. It allows you to observe your experiences with curiosity and acceptance. Engaging in mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises, helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and foster a sense of inner peace.

Gratitude is the practice of intentionally acknowledging and appreciating the blessings and positive aspects of your life. It shifts your focus from what is lacking to what you have, cultivating a mindset of abundance.

Start a gratitude journal, where you regularly write down things you are grateful for. This practice helps reframe your perspective and nurtures a sense of contentment and appreciation.

a smiling middle-aged woman sits on a beach alone learning to nourish herself with self love

Practical Tips for Nurturing your Mind, Body, and Soul

Find activities that bring you joy: Identify activities that light you up and make you feel alive. It could be dancing, painting, playing sports, immersing yourself in nature, or just little things. Make time for these activities regularly to uplift your spirits and nurture your soul.
Practice relaxation techniques: Incorporate relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or guided imagery, into your daily routine. These practices help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and restore balance in your mind and body .
Engage in self-reflection and journaling: Set aside time for self-reflection and journaling on a daily basis. Use this dedicated time to process your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Reflecting on your journey helps you gain insights, release pent-up emotions, and gain clarity on your path of self-discovery and self-love.
Surround yourself with positive influences: Surround yourself with people, books, podcasts, or other sources of inspiration and positivity. Seek out uplifting communities or support networks that encourage personal growth and self-love.
Enjoy gratitude walks: While taking a walk, consciously focus on the things you are grateful for in your surroundings. Whether it’s the warmth of the sun or the beauty of nature, this practice will deepen your connection with yourself and the world around you.
Express gratitude to others: Show appreciation to the people who have positively impacted your life. A simple thank you note, or a heartfelt conversation can create a ripple effect of gratitude and strengthen relationships.
Count your blessings: Take time each day to reflect on the things you are grateful for, no matter how small they may seem. This practice will help you appreciate the beauty and richness of life.

Remember, self-care is not selfish; it is a necessary practice for nurturing your mind, body, and soul. Prioritize your well-being, engage in activities that bring you happiness and fulfillment.

a female stands behind a screen with emotions emojis printed on it and points to the happy face to show she's pleased

Surround Yourself with Positivity

Building a support network is crucial for self-love. Surround yourself with uplifting and inspiring people; seek guidance from mentors or coaches; set boundaries and let go of negativity; even creating a positive environment is key to your self-love journey. We’ll explore practical tips for learning to surround yourself with positivity below.

Curate Your Social Circle

The relationships we nurture greatly influence our mindset and emotional well-being. Here’s how you can surround yourself with positivity through your social circle :

Identify positive influences: Surround yourself with people who inspire, support, and uplift you. Spend time with individuals who radiate positivity and share your values and aspirations.
Let go of toxic relationships: Evaluate your relationships and distance yourself from toxic people that consistently bring negativity into your life. Prioritize your well-being by creating healthy boundaries and focusing on relationships that nurture your self-love journey.
Engage in community activities : Join groups or community organizations centered around shared interests that align with your values. Engaging with like-minded individuals can foster a positive sense of belonging and create a supportive network.
Set boundaries: Often, we find ourselves entangled in toxic relationships or situations that drain our energy and leave us feeling depleted. It’s crucial to recognize that setting boundaries is not a selfish act but rather an act of self-care. Boundaries allow you to protect your well-being, preserve your mental and emotional health, and create space for positive experiences and relationships. You are deserving of healthy relationships and positivity; take the first step toward self-love by setting boundaries today.
Let go of negativity: Letting go of negativity requires a shift in mindset. We need to understand that holding onto grudges or dwelling on past hurts only serves to imprison ourselves in pain. Give yourself a mindset makeover!

By choosing forgiveness and letting go, you free yourself from the burden of negative emotions. Instead of allowing bitterness or resentment to consume you, you prioritize personal growth , gratitude, and embracing positivity. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting what happened; it means releasing the power these negative experiences have over us.

a comfortable and cozy bedroom done in white with pink accents that supports a self love journey

Create an Inspiring Physical Space

Our physical environment greatly impacts our emotional well-being. By consciously curating a space that inspires and uplifts us, we can create an atmosphere of positivity. Consider these tips:

Declutter and organize: Clearing physical clutter helps declutter the mind. Create a serene space by organizing your surroundings, allowing room for peace and creativity.
Decorate with intent: Surround yourself with items that bring joy and inspiration. Whether it’s artwork, plants, or motivational quotes, choose decor that resonates with your aspirations and adds positivity to your space.
Bring in natural light: Open curtains, let sunlight in, and connect with the natural world outside. Natural light can boost mood and energy, creating a positive ambiance.

Consume Positive Media

The media we consume greatly influences our mindset and emotions. By consciously selecting positive and uplifting content, we can shape our perspectives and enhance our self-love journey:

Choose inspirational books: Engage in reading materials that promote personal growth, self-acceptance, and positivity. Surrounding yourself with empowering literature can inspire and motivate you on your self-love journey.
Select mindful entertainment: Opt for movies, TV shows, and music that uplift your mood and inspire positive thinking. Cultivate a media diet that aligns with your values and contributes to your overall well-being. (Think about Hallmark movies:)
Social media detox: Take breaks from social media or curate your feed to include accounts that promote positivity, self-love, and personal growth. Limit exposure to negative content that may hinder your self-love journey.

a female's desktop with a note to self that says new year new me as she begins her self love journey

Seek Guidance from Mentors or Life Coaches

When embarking on a journey to self-love, seeking guidance from mentors and life coaches can be invaluable. These individuals possess the knowledge and experience needed to help navigate the complexities of self-discovery and healing.

A mentor or coach can offer a new perspective and shed light on blind spots, challenge limiting beliefs, and offer new perspectives that help foster self-acceptance.

Additionally, mentors and life coaches teach practical strategies for cultivating self-compassion and building resilience throughout the journey towards self-love.

Learn to Say NO and Prioritize Your Wellness

Learning to say no and prioritize your well-being is an essential step toward self-love and personal growth. It can be challenging in a society that often glorifies the idea of constantly saying yes to everything. However, setting boundaries and learning to say no allows you to protect your time, energy, and mental health.

One way to start your journey is by understanding that saying no does not make you selfish or mean. In fact, it shows that you value yourself enough to prioritize your own needs.

Another aspect of prioritizing well-being is assessing the importance of each request or task that comes your way. Ask yourself if it aligns with your goals, values, or brings joy into your life.

Giving yourself permission to decline opportunities that do not resonate with you allows space for those that will truly enhance your personal growth and happiness.

a middle-aged woman hugs herself as a symbol of self love and self compassion

Embrace Imperfections and Celebrate Progress

Self-acceptance is a key aspect of self-love. In this section, we’ll explore how to embrace imperfections and let go of the relentless pursuit of perfectionism. By recognizing that flaws are a part of your unique journey, you’ll cultivate self-compassion and love.

We will also discuss celebrating growth, setting achievable goals and milestones, and celebrating growth. Remember, progress, no matter how small, is worth celebrating.

Embrace Self-Acceptance

Embracing self acceptance will help you become the best version of yourself. Beautiful things will come your way when you release the burden of past mistakes and create good habits that help you with your daily practice of self love.

You need to believe that you are worthy of love and can even be your own best friend. People’s opinions don’t matter — you are on your own journey of self love that doesn’t require other’s approval.

top view of a female writing love yourself in her journal

Let Go of Perfectionism

Perfectionism, an inherent desire for flawlessness and a fear of failure, can be an exhausting burden to carry. Many people unknowingly fall into this trap, constantly seeking validation and striving for impossible standards.

However, embarking on the journey to self-love requires letting go of perfectionism and understanding that we all make mistakes. It is crucial to understand that perfection does not exist; it is merely an illusion created by societal pressure and unrealistic expectations.

Moreover, it’s important to shift your focus from external validation to internal fulfillment. Seeking constant approval from others can be draining and unsustainable in the long run.

Embrace Your Flaws

Understand that making mistakes is a natural part of the human experience and should be embraced rather than feared or avoided.

Embracing your flaws as part of your unique journey is a huge step toward self-acceptance. The truth is your flaws make you who you are; they are the marks of our individual experiences and growth.

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Recognize and Celebrate Your Growth

Take a moment to reflect on where you were a year ago, six months ago, or even just last week. Notice how much you have changed, how far you have come, and what steps you have taken to improve yourself.

Celebrate the small victories along the way – every obstacle overcome, every fear conquered, and every new skill learned. By recognizing your achievements no matter how small they may seem, you will fuel your motivation to keep pushing forward with your self-love practices.

Remember that growth is not always linear; it has its ups and downs. Embrace the setbacks as opportunities for learning and see them as necessary steps towards development rather than failures.

Set Achievable Goals and Milestones

Setting achievable goals and milestones is essential when embarking on a self-love journey. It provides clarity and direction, helping you stay focused and motivated along the way. However, it’s important to approach this process with a realistic mindset.

Instead of overwhelming yourself with impossibly high expectations, break down your ultimate goal into smaller, attainable milestones.

By breaking down these larger goals into smaller actionable steps — how you’re going to get there — you create an organized roadmap that not only feels more manageable but also encourages a sense of accomplishment each time a milestone is reached.

Moreover, it’s crucial to reassess and adjust your goals as needed. Life is unpredictable and constantly evolving, so being adaptable is key in maintaining momentum on your self-love journey.

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Conclusion: How to Start Your Self Love Journey

As we conclude Self-Love 101: How to Start Your Self Love Journey , we hope you feel inspired and empowered to embark on this beautiful path of self-discovery and self-love. You need to have a deep unconditional love for yourself, so you shine for the rest of the world!

Remember, the journey of self-love is not a destination but a lifelong practice. Embrace the power within you, and let self-love guide you toward a brighter and more fulfilling future. Believe in yourself… you’ve got this!

You may be interested in these other related articles about self love:

How to Make the Self Love Movement Work for You
17 Positive Reasons Why Self Love Isn’t Selfish
Love Yourself Enough

Love to All! ~ Susan

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Susan Ballinger is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, PTSD survivor, and advocate for ALL who has always been passionate about supporting and inspiring others in their personal growth. In her retirement years, she became the primary caregiver of her aging parents and developed an extensive knowledge-base about the elderly. You can learn more about Susan's professional work and compassionate nature by exploring her ABOUT page and connecting through her social media platforms.

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Accessibility

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Sassy Sister Stuff Accessibility Statement

Accessibility Statement

www.sassysisterstuff.com
April 21, 2024

Compliance status

We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

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This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

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Disability profiles supported in our website

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We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.

Notes, comments, and feedback

Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to [email protected] .

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Love Journey: 10 Ways to Love Yourself

Love, connection, and acceptance are your birthright. – Kristin Neff

Love is the “capstone,” sustaining and holding life together.

We are the authentic fabric of love! Loving yourself lays the framework for how we love others and in turn how we let them love us. Quite simply, if you struggle to love and accept yourself as you are right now (this is most of us at one time or another in our lives), how can you receive and give love to others?

Loving yourself directly influences at the core how you live your life with and amongst others.

Cultivating self and other love is a life learning process with many bends in the road as you move with each season. How do you begin if this seems out of reach or too difficult?

Start by simply pausing with intention. Notice your personal inner dialogue. Take a “real” look within. What do you typically say to yourself when life is good and during those times when you’ve hit a roadblock or have been in a holding pattern?

Noticing and listening to your self-talk will reveal where you are on your love journey.

This process is not selfish or self-centered. What is revealed and gathering will open the door to become. Although complex and unique to each of us, our own sense of “love,” when authentic in our hearts and bodies, will feel right and expressed in self-confidence, comfort, and ease.

Take a read through the list below, and learn new ways of cultivating love!

Here are 10 Ways to Love Yourself on Your Love Journey:

Learn and practice self-compassion.

This area is crucial for cultivating and deepening how to love yourself. It is a key piece from which love is cultivated and sown.

Dr. Kristin Neff, the pioneering self-compassion researcher, author, teacher, and creator of the Self-Compassion Scales writes this on self-compassion:

Having compassion for yourself gives you the ability to honor and accept your humanity in the moment. Things will not always be the way you want them to be. You will encounter frustrations, losses will occur, you will make mistakes, bump up against your limitations, and fall short of your ideals. As you open your heart to this reality instead of constantly fighting against it, you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and your fellow humans in the experience of life.

Develop empathy

Empathy is defined as being able to put yourself in someone else’s situation in the present moment. By loving yourself, you show respect/love for others by listening with an understanding of their struggles, without feeling pity or sympathy for them.

Cultivate gratitude

Learning how to become grateful for everyday things and people in your life strengthens love by placing emphasis on what is versus what isn’t. Love grows here!

Accept who you are

Embrace and love the things that make you uniquely you. All parts of you -are- who you are. Both the good and not-so-good! They don’t define you but rather are part of your distinct makeup.

Let go of the past

When you live in the past, you stay in the past. Whether you feel the past was the best of times or painful. Embrace today! Affirm your life by being where you are today knowing that this place, even if especially trying, is just a season meant to raise your awareness on where you are now, so you have a margin to move forward each day.

Practice “Ahimsa” (Non-harming to self and others)

“Ahimsa” is a Sanskrit word from yoga philosophy found in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali the Hindu mystic. Ahimsa, one of the five Yamas, is practicing love to self and others by seeking to think and act with love and kindness. Ahimas requests the practitioner to cause no “harm” with unkind talk, thoughts, and actions, both to self and others.

Be realistic

Every day is not going to be a great day or a bad day either. Some days will be mundane or ordinary. Allow you to be you on each given day.

Reward yourself

Do something you enjoy because this makes you smile and affirms your life. It could be a yoga class, a hike, a good book, learning something new, hanging with your tribe, or enjoying time spent with someone special to you. Rewarding you with things that you enjoy is love.

Develop a daily self-care routine

Your body, physical and emotional, is yours and it needs you to nurture and take care of it by placing yourself lovingly first within the lineup of all other professional and personal obligations.

Create healthy emotional boundaries

Take time to set up physical and emotional boundaries that protect you and others from being manipulated and used, or from merely overextending your best loving intentions. Setting up boundaries allows you to separate who you are and what you need from the thoughts and feelings of others. This intentional action may seem selfish and “unloving” initially, but over time, setting up healthy boundaries is lovingly empowering for everyone.

Where are you on your love journey? Please share with us in the comments section below!

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QUANTUM DIGESTIVE HEALING: A Leap of Faith

How Love Transforms Emotions

How to Start a Self-Love Journey to Love Yourself More

Pinterest 1223

Table of Contents

Self-love is self-care: How I started my self-love journey

Today we’re talking about what a self-love journey entails . Before that, let’s talk about what being in love with yourself again means.

Falling in love with yourself will completely change your entire life. When you start to deal with your authentic self instead of others, you’ll quickly notice three significant changes in your life.

You’ll feel better, your mental health will improve, and the quality of your relationships will also improve.

It all starts when you decide that you are the main character of your life and that you have the ability to change all aspects of it if you desire to.

But do you even understand what it means to love yourself? Do you know how to start loving yourself again?

We attract people into our lives who reflect our own lifestyles, choices, and personalities. Not just in a romantic relationship but in a broader sense as well.

Everyone sees the world through their own eyes, so your point of view will always be slightly different from others’.

Others will like you if you like yourself . If you aren’t completely satisfied with yourself, you’re wasting your time interacting with people you have nothing in common with.

This can result in a relationship in which you accept less than you would like.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this problem: simply learn to love yourself . Constant self-love practice is a powerful tool.

a pin for a blog post that talks about going on a self-love journey

This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you click on a link and purchase something I recommend, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Without further ado, here’s your self-love journey guide

1. forgive yourself.

Let go of the past . Don’t hold it against yourself if you make a mistake or a bad decision.

You did your best with the information and insights you had at the time. Everything you’ve done has been right.

It was part of your lesson . You’re now grown and capable of living differently.

We can love the wrong person and regret our poor choices, but even if things don’t go as planned, one thing is certain: Making mistakes helps us find the right people and great things.

Whatever happens in your life prepares you for the next step in your journey to self-love. You can’t start a new chapter in your life if you continue to read the previous one.

2. Praise yourself

Criticism spiritually weakens the soul, whereas praise spiritually strengthens it. Make it a daily practice to praise yourself as much as possible.

Praise yourself whenever you accomplish something, no matter how small.

3. Stop trying to avoid your problems

You must confront them. No, it won’t be simple.

There’s no one in the world who can withstand difficulties and hard times in life flawlessly. We don’t have to solve all of the problems at once.

4. Love yourself right now

How to start a self-love journey? The idea of self-love is that you have to decide to do it and do it right away.

Don’t wait for better times to come . Don’t wait until you’ve lost weight, found a new job, or found a new partner.

Start right away and do your best. It’s never too late to begin loving yourself. The best time to start is… right now.

This is the meaning of life: to face problems, learn from them, adapt to them, and, ultimately, solve them. That’s what makes us humans.

5. Don’t try to buy luck for yourself

Many of the things we desire are ridiculously expensive. However, the truth is that the small things that truly make us happy —love, laughter, and working on our emotions—are completely free.

6. Stop getting involved for the wrong reasons

Establish relationships using common sense. It’s better to be alone than in bad company. There’s no need to rush into a decision.

When something has to happen, it happens at the best possible time, with the best possible person, and for the best possible reasons.

You should fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely .

Everyone you meet has goals. Some people will try to control you, while others will take advantage of you.

However, some people will also try to teach you. But, most importantly, some of them bring out the best qualities in you.

7. Don’t waste your time on explanations

Your friends don’t need them, but your enemies aren’t going to believe you anyway. Simply act in the way you believe is right.

Learn and practice saying “no” and “yes” based on your own values and desires rather than anticipating and thinking about other people’s opinions.

If you like something or want to participate, say “yes.” Otherwise, say “no” without apologizing or giving long and complex reasons.

Once I realized that not wasting my time on explanations plays a huge part in my journey to self-love, my life changed in many different ways.

Here’s how you can learn to say “no” without explaining yourself all the time.

8. Concentrate on one problem at a time

Low self-esteem causes plenty of problems in all aspects of life, which is why people often try to improve everything right away. However, there’s a risk of being buried beneath it all.

It’s important to concentrate on one problem at a time .

We not only increase our chances of success, but we also give ourselves the opportunity to enjoy the boost in confidence that comes with every success.

9. Live your life from the heart

It makes no difference how your life has progressed thus far. Remember that every morning when you open your eyes, you win the grand prize of being alive.

Throughout the day, you have 86,400 chances to make a different choice than you have in the past.

You’ve also been given 28,800 breaths to act and think lovingly.

There’s always one choice. You can either live with your heart and reach your full potential, or you can live a life of fear and limitation.

10. Stop all the criticism

This is my favorite tip that you can practice on your journey to loving yourself. Criticism accomplishes nothing. Stop judging yourself and others . Stop negative self-talk.

If you criticize yourself, you’ll see negative changes. If you praise yourself, you’ll see positive changes. Accept yourself exactly as you are.

11. Resist brainwashing and stop looking for approval where it’ll never be found

Yes, only a small percentage of the population is capable of resisting social brainwashing. Here’s how social brainwashing works.

The box is far too small and narrow. To please others, you’re “supposed to” suppress your true self.

To be a part of society, you’re “supposed to” constantly deny yourself. You’re told what’s correct and incorrect.

But how can you expect a planet full of people who don’t love or recognize themselves to love and acknowledge you?

True self-love means it’s time to stop looking for approval where it’ll never come and finally surrender to the peace that you are.

Getting rid of the created and brainwashed self is the path to peace, love, health, abundance, and joy.

12. Love your bad habits

Recognize that you have developed negative habits in order to meet certain needs. Now is the time to come up with new, positive solutions to these problems.

This allows you to let go of old patterns and pursue personal growth . Here’s how you can learn to break your bad habits in no time.

a bike near a lake. spending time alone is an important part of self-love

13. Stop lying to yourself

You can deceive everyone except yourself . We can only improve our lives if we allow ourselves to take risks. The first and most difficult risk is being honest with ourselves.

It’s a huge step in your self-care practice, but it will also make a huge difference.

14. Imagine your ideal self

Manifesting and imagining your ideal self is a great tip if you want to know how to start your self-love journey. Let me elaborate on that.

We can boost and sustain our motivation by constantly reminding ourselves of the confident version of ourselves that we want to become. Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and fantasize.

Create as detailed a picture of yourself as a confident person as possible. Admire your vision for as long as you can, because the more powerful this image is, the more likely it’ll become a reality.

This way, you feed your subconscious with positive images and attract situations and people who will help you move toward the confident, brave, and best version of yourself.

15. Stop thinking you’re not ready

Nobody ever feels truly ready for anything . Most serious opportunities and different situations require us to leave our comfort zone, which means we are starting to feel uncomfortable.

And that’s okay, because that’s the key to growth and personal development.

16. Don’t allow others to drag you down to their level

There’s no need to lower the bar in order to meet those who refuse to lift it. Try to gradually let go of the need to be super-happy and to please others.

If you’re a perfectionist who loves to fine-tune everything, practice putting things aside, messing up by doing something else instead, and learning to enjoy it without blaming or punishing yourself for not doing things.

17. Know you’re good enough

A big part of self-love is knowing you’re good enough . Take a deep breath and become familiar with the idea. You’re perfect the way you are.

Recognize your true self. Recognize that joy is possible in any situation. Recognize that life can be special and that you are unique.

Self-acceptance is one of the most important things on your journey of self-love.

18. Take good care of your body

When I was having a low moment and thinking about my self-love journey, I immediately thought about self-care.

Why? Well, your body is truly your temple . You have to take care of your needs. Besides, having a positive body image is so important.

Every week, we clean our homes to remove dust, but what about the inside of your body? Learn about nutrition.

What should you eat to feel energetic and alive? Drink plenty of water and avoid junk food.

Learn about different sports opportunities and start working out. Find a physical activity that suits your needs.

Get a massage and experiment with various energy therapies or relaxing breathing exercises.

Eat healthy foods and make better choices when it comes to your health. These activities all help you fall in love with yourself again.

Here are 100 good habits that you can adopt for a better life.

Daily self-care checklists for free!

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19. Stop frightening yourself

You can do a lot of damage to yourself with your thoughts. Thinking about how bad your life will get creates a terrible reality for you.

I’m not saying negative feelings are always bad, but constant fear is certainly bad . Find a beautiful photograph, talisman, or crystal that will bring you joy while scaring away fearful thoughts.

20. Don’t try to be someone else

One of the most difficult tasks is to remain yourself in a world where you’re pressured to live up to the expectations of others.

Someone is always more attractive, someone is always more intelligent, and someone is always younger.

Try not to please others. The first step is to always be yourself. Those who value you will accept you for who you are .

21. Stop competing with everyone

Don’t be concerned if others outperform you. Concentrate on achieving your personal daily goals . Start comparing yourself to your old versions, not to those of others.

Is it true that you are more loving, affectionate, and understanding today than you were a year ago?

Do you understand the consequences of your words, actions, and attitudes toward yourself and others better now than you did a year ago?

22. Spend time in front of a mirror today

Believe it or not, spending time in front of a mirror does play a part in your self-love journey.

Look in the mirror frequently, always look into your eyes, and notice that wonderful glow in your eyes.

When you first wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I love you,” and repeat it as often as possible throughout the day.

Look in the mirror every time you see yourself and tell yourself how wonderful you are, what a wonderful body you have, and how good you look today.

It may be difficult at first, but if you stick with it and overcome your internal obstacles, the results will be lasting. You’re growing to appreciate yourself more and more!

23. Make an inventory

When dissatisfaction, constant fatigue, or a lack of energy take over, you must complete a detailed inventory of your life , including what you enjoy, what you’re happy with, and what doesn’t make you feel satisfied and happy.

Remove all those toxic people; only keep your closest friends; and focus on your own needs.

24. Know that people are in your life for a reason

People have known throughout history that their inner nature is reflected in all people, places, and situations.

Your spouse, boss, children, news, traffic, and deadlines—each with its own charm, mistakes, or challenges—are all there to bring you into greater harmony with yourself.

Everything changes when you start to view your life through that lens.

Instead of escaping, hiding, or avoiding unpleasant feelings, you welcome them because they mark the beginning of freedom.

You put an end to the game of reflection and judgment when you start to see, experience, and accept yourself in all things.

Once you become aware of something, it can no longer affect you subconsciously.

25. Be gentle, kind, and patient with yourself and others

Be kind to yourself . Be gentle with yourself. Be patient until you learn how to think in a different way.

Take care of yourself as if you were someone you love . Because you are. Make yourself gifts and celebrate special occasions to make yourself happy.

It’s difficult and time-consuming to change yourself, so give yourself some time. You can’t expect to be perfect the first time you learn something new or do something for the first time.

Concentrate on your strengths, abilities, and admirable qualities to cultivate a better sense of self-worth.

a bunch of flowers as a symbol of loving oneself

26. Seek help and support

Knowing when to seek help was another thing I heard a lot about when I was thinking about ways to start a self-love journey.

Because the process of self-development is complex and deep, you should surround yourself with supportive friends who can listen and be there for you.

A professional, such as a psychologist or psychotherapist, may also help you.

They will create a safe and reliable environment for you to deal with your feelings and provide advice on how to get back up in case of a relapse.

Asking for help doesn’t mean that you’re weak or incompetent . This indicates that you are eager to learn and grow.

Create your own support network. Communicate with others and allow them to help you. You don’t have to deal with everything on your own.

27. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

Making a mistake while doing something is at least ten times more effective than doing nothing.

Every step forward carries traces of previous setbacks, and every setback leads to success. In the end, you’ll regret what you didn’t do far more than what you did .

28. Don’t let your heart be filled with rage

After all, you cause more harm to yourself than you do to the people you despise. Forgiveness doesn’t mean, “I am content with everything you did to me.”

Forgiveness means, “I will not let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”

Forgiveness is an opportunity to let go, find peace, and be free. Remember that forgiveness is required not only for others but also for yourself.

Forgive yourself if necessary, and move on to try to do better next time.

29. Have fun with your life

You remember the things that used to make you happy when you were a child, right? Reintroduce these things into your life.

Find pleasure in everything you do . Do things you’ve only fantasized about doing so far.

Allow yourself to feel and express your joy in life. Have a lot of fun. Smile a lot. Hug as many people as you possibly can. This will bring joy and love into your daily life.

30. Be understanding of yourself

Don’t despise your thoughts, but be grateful that they exist so that you can change them.

Recognize negative thoughts and transform them into positive ones. Positive self-talk is the key here.

It’s a long journey to self-love, and nothing changes overnight, but if you take small steps, big changes will emerge.

a notebook and a pen to plan for the future

31. Stop spending time with the wrong people

Life is too short to spend it with people who drain all of your juices. It’s also never too late to find new friends.

If someone wants you in their life, they will show you that . You don’t have to fight for a place next to that person. Never cling to those who constantly undervalue your worth.

Remember, true friends aren’t the ones who cheer you on when you’re at your best; they’re the ones who stick by your side when things go wrong.

Take a piece of paper and a pencil.

Evaluate the most important relationships in your life by giving a plus to those that make you feel valued, happy, and truly noticed and a minus to those that make you feel limited, harassed, or uncomfortable.

Then, gradually reduce the amount of time you devote to negative relationships, eventually giving them up entirely.

32. Don’t think too long

Otherwise, you will create problems where none previously existed. Evaluate the situation and take decisive action.

What you refuse to face can’t be changed. Any improvement involves some level of risk.

Also, you don’t have to dry up your energy reserves every single day. Nobody can be happy and optimistic all the time.

Take the time to get to know your sad side. Allow yourself to feel sadness or anger as needed, and don’t judge yourself for it.

33. Stop ignoring the little things

Enjoy trivial things because one day you’ll look back and realize they were wonderful.

The best part of your life consists of insignificant, unspecified moments spent making someone you care about smile .

34. Stop looking for someone else to make you happy

This is another important thing to keep in mind when you’re planning your self-love journey. You are your own best friend .

Long-term relationships with someone will not make you happy if you are unhappy with yourself or your personality.

Before you share your life with anyone, you must first create stability in it. Only then can you have a healthy relationship with others .

35. Every day, set aside one hour for yourself

Make yourself an aromatherapy bath with candles , go swimming or riding in the woods, read your favorite book for an hour, then go for a walk, turn off the phone in the middle of the day, and go for a bike ride.

In short, do the things you enjoy most without involving others.

And do it on a daily basis. Get to know yourself. Can you spend time alone without becoming anxious or depressed? You need to get to know yourself well in every situation.

36. Be thankful

After I started expressing gratitude every day, loving myself became much easier. You instantly become happier when you can be grateful for the people, things, and events in your life.

I really like this one-minute gratitude journal. I feel like it makes me appreciate the important things in life more and more, day by day.

Keep a small diary in which you can record the things you are grateful for on a daily basis. Once you realize how many of these things you have in your life, you’ll begin to love yourself more.

Here are 100 things to be thankful for right now.

37. Give yourself much love

While we’re doing inventory, it’s important that we offer ourselves love. The important part is to take practical steps to increase your energy levels, treat yourself, and allow others to pamper you.

This can be hindered by subconscious childhood beliefs that teach us that loving ourselves is selfish and inappropriate. It’s time to let go of such concepts .

We must first love ourselves, because we won’t be able to love others if we don’t love ourselves.

Meditation, positive affirmations, and other spiritual practices will help you develop compassion and love for yourself.

FAQ: Why is self-love important?

Self-love is essential because it is the foundation of a happy, fulfilled life . It entails accepting yourself, flaws and all, and treating yourself with kindness and compassion.

When you have a strong sense of self-love, you’re better equipped to deal with life’s challenges, stressors, and feelings of unworthiness.

You’re also more likely to have positive relationships with others because self-love leads to healthy boundaries and improved communication skills.

Besides, self-love can improve both your physical and mental health .

When you love and accept yourself, you’re more likely to engage in self-care practices that promote overall well-being, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising on a regular basis, and seeking medical attention when necessary.

Self-love can boost your self-esteem and confidence. When you believe in yourself and your worth, you’re more likely to stay committed to pursuing your goals and dreams.

FAQ: How to start your self-love journey?

Just like all the other good things in life, learning to love yourself can be a real challenge. It certainly won’t happen overnight.

It’s a long process that requires all your attention. The easiest way to find your way to love is to follow these tips that I previously mentioned.

Are you ready to go on a self-love journey?

They say that self-love is a journey. What did you think of this blog post? What would you tell someone who asked you about your journey? How do you practice self-love? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I’m a personal growth and self-care expert, as well as an avid motorcycle enthusiast and coffee and sweets lover. Through Lauraconteuse, I provide insightful and practical advice on topics such as self-care, self-love, personal growth, and productivity, drawing from my very own extensive experience and knowledge in the field. My blog has helped countless people achieve their goals and live more fulfilling lives, and my goal is to continue to inspire and empower others.

10 thoughts on “How to Start a Self-Love Journey to Love Yourself More”

This is such an important topic, especially for women. Too many of us go through life hating or being apathetic about our bodies and they are such amazing things! Thanks for sharing!

Great post!

A girl after my own heart. We have very similar blog themes so it is really interesting your view on these topics. Such a detailed post. You have obviously thought about this topic in great details.

Love this 😀 Thanks for writing these tips.

I love this post and it might just be my favorite! This month’s goal for me is starting a self-love joueney, this post popped up at a perfect time.These are amazing tips to start a journey like this! I look forward to reading more articles!

This is a great list, it covers everything. It’s so hard to try to make the journey back to loving yourself once you’ve fallen out. I’m pinning this post, thank you for sharing.

There are so many great ideas on this list. Thank you so much for sharing.

All of these tips for practicing self-love are spot on! #3 – so true. Thanks for sharing!

I really love your tips. Self love is definitely self care. You never have to feel bad for loving yourself. Thanks for these awesome tips!

What a great and comprehensive post on self love. Great practical tips and we all can learn to love ourselves more.