What Does it Mean to Love Yourself?

What Does it Mean to Love Yourself? 

There is a lot of talk about self-love, and I want everyone to understand exactly what it means to love yourself. It is so important for you to love yourself because no one is going to love you unless you do. If you do not love yourself, you cannot take care of yourself emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually, and that means you are looking for people outside of yourself to do that for you. In that space, you will always be let down, because no one is inside of your head but you, so no one knows exactly what you need and when you need it.  

Another reason it is so important to love yourself is because if you cannot take care of yourself, you will always attract toxic, unhealthy, emotionally unavailable, narcissistic people into your life because you have nothing to base what you are looking for on. If you can take care of yourself and have good self-worth and standards, when you are looking for friends, a partner, or even a job, your standards will be high. What you attract in your life is the level that you are at. You will not allow people into your life who are not at your level, do not respect you or have similar standards as you do. By having standards and self-respect, you are teaching people how to treat you. That is why it is so important to love yourself.  

Self-love may be a broad term, but it is how we take care of ourselves emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. There are some key things that we can do for ourselves that will help change your life. So, what are a few self-love habits that can help change your life?  

Gratitude 

Gratitude is so important because to take care of yourself and be in a good mental state, you must be grateful for what you have. Living in a place of negativity because you do not have everything you want in life is not a good place to be. And while it is good to want more for yourself, you must first be grateful for what you already have. Gratitude radiates positive flowing energy and is such a powerful thing to practice as a part of self-love. 
 

Do not Attach to Every Thought You Have 

When we are too attached to our thoughts, every thought can bring on anxiety, fear, depression, stress, or panic attacks. Learning how to monitor our thoughts and know when fear is creeping in, or any other negativity is important. We need to pick the thoughts we want to engage in and toss the rest. Learning not to attach to every thought is part of our self-love journey and an important aspect of self-parenting.  

Stop the Self Criticism 

Stop being a perfectionist. Stop thinking you are not good enough or other negative criticism. All the negative things we tell ourselves are because of ego and unhealed wounds. Recognize when it is happening and choose when to engage in it.  
 

Take Care of Your Body 

Eating well, exercising, getting enough rest, drinking enough water - these are all important things we need to do to take care of our bodies. Be conscious of the food you are putting into your body and make sure you are making healthy choices often. Make it a point to move your body every day, even if it is just a walk around the block, dancing around the kitchen or doing a yoga class. Physical exercise affects your body, mind, and your mood.  
 

Be Aware of Self Talk 

Be aware of what you are saying to yourself. Your thoughts are either going to help you or they are going to scare you. Recognizing who is talking - your good angel or your bad angel - is important. Do not engage in negative self-talk. Positive affirmations are so important in self-love and self-development. Affirmations are essential toward getting positive thoughts into your subconscious.  

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone 

To love and nurture yourself in life, you must leave your comfort zone from time to time. Does that mean you must do something crazy like skydiving or swimming with sharks? No. Leaving your comfort zone may just mean smiling and complimenting a stranger, trying a new food, or doing something that scares you a little.  
 

Stop Comparing Yourself to Other People 

Comparison is a killer toward loving and accepting yourself for who you are. You could be comparing yourself to other people as far as where you think you should be in your life. The only thing comparison does is stops us from being happy. It is important to remember that no one in the world is like you so you cannot compare yourself to anyone. Everyone is on their own life journey.  

The mirror is the most important part of your day. If you are avoiding yourself in the mirror, that means you do not feel worthy. Valuing and appreciating what you see in the mirror is the basis of being healthy. You may avoid the mirror because you feel unworthy. Instead of always criticizing the things you do not like about yourself, start looking at them and recognizing that the reason you do not like it is because you are comparing it to society’s standards and the way you think it should be. The more you can own the things you do not like, the more you can own who you are and know that is what beauty is because we are all unique. There will be times when you feel a little insecure about something but if you really want to work on it, you will for health reasons. Doing mirror work and affirmations can absolutely help the process. Keep in mind that self-love is a daily practice that you will do for the rest of your life, and there will always be an area in your life that needs some extra attention and more focus.