While beauty is undeniably appealing, there’s nothing quite as attractive as an individual who loves who they are. They walk into a room with a sense of confidence and freedom. If you’re not in a space where you actively love yourself, the first step is, to be honest about where you are. Never deny your reality. Once you’re clear on where you are, it’s time to put in the work. Consider five important steps to your journey of self-love.
1. Cultivate a Gratitude Practice
Oftentimes, when love is lacking, gratitude isn’t in abundance either. Love and gratitude go together. Therefore, it’s time to cultivate a gratitude practice. Whether you’re grateful for eyes that can see or a heart that beats without your help or supervision, find different things to be grateful for. You can write down your list in an official gratitude journal. Begin or end the day with this practice. As you become more grateful for all you have, you’ll be able to enjoy and receive more of what you desire. In this case, you’ll be able to enjoy, receive and cultivate more self-love.
2. Be Kind to Yourself
Pay attention to the way you speak to yourself. Pay attention to your conversations with others. If you’re around people who constantly pick themselves apart, don’t join in on those conversations. Instead, focus on where you are, how you got there, and how you can improve. You wouldn’t talk down to a four-year-old and berate them for being late to work. You’d reexamine their process to figure out what went wrong, how to improve the process and move forward. While you’re not a four-year-old, you have an inner child who longs for protection, safety, and validation. Kindness empowers you to become more practical with what you need to become the best you can be.
3. Listen to Uplifting Messages
Pay attention to the messages you take in. If you’re mindlessly scrolling on your phone, chances are you’re going to be more attracted to social media apps, celebrity gossip, and other distractions. Instead, cultivate a list of ebooks, physical books, and podcasts that you can listen to boost your spirit. Listen to podcasts that inspire you to become better in various aspects of your life. It’s also great to listen to podcasts that teach you more about interpersonal relationships and complexities like twin flames. Listening to a twin flames podcast provides insight that can help you recognize and get closer to your own.
4. Recognize Your Desires
When you try to suppress what you want, you’ll end up making yourself sick and unhappy in the long run. Instead of suppressing your desires, face and examine them. If you have a desire for something unhealthy like copious amounts of wine every night, get therapy to help you get to the root of the issue. Oftentimes, when you go deeper and get a better understanding of why you do what you do, it’ll become more clear as to what you need to love yourself well.
If you desire something like a career as a YouTuber or more travel experiences within a year, do your research and set a plan in motion. Even if you make small steps each day, be consistent. When you consistently show up for yourself, you subconsciously validate the fact that you’re worth the effort. This helps your self-esteem and self-respect increase. In turn, your self-love becomes more apparent to you.
5. Treat Yourself Extremely Well
Treating yourself extremely well doesn’t always equate to treating yourself to lavish spa dates or international trips. Consider how a doting mother treats her sweet baby. She makes sure the baby is well-fed, rested and clean. Start there by making sure you eat nutrient-rich food and consume positive information. You can also check out this dentist in Vienna for your dental health. If you’re not getting enough rest each night, develop a nighttime routine. By treating yourself well in the daily tasks, you’ll reaffirm and build your level of self-love.
Many people believe that love is an emotion. Others believe that love is a choice. No matter what your definition of love is, it’s best to feel it for yourself. When you’re able to accept and love who you are fully, it’s much easier to give love to others. Think of it as your way of filling your cup. When you’re able to fill your cup, you’ll pass from a place of abundance instead of lack.
