February. The month dedicated to love. Whether you celebrate with hearts, flowers, or candy, love is in the air. But it is not just about romance. It is about loving yourself, loving others, and having healthy relationships with family and friends. Today, February 13th, is Self Love Day. It is an annual celebration to appreciate and understand the importance of self-love. In my post from last month, one of the goals I listed was to learn to love yourself more. Rather than focusing on the bad things, drop the habit of judging yourself harshly and start celebrating the good things. When our mental health is down, we become our own worst critics. Make sure you find ways to love yourself and get that boost of self esteem. Self love does not happen overnight. Yes, you may struggle. But as you move forward on your journey, you can look back and see how you paved the path to better mental health and overall well being.
So, how exactly does one go about loving themselves more? We have to stop being so mean. Grant yourself the kindness you grant others. Speak to yourself as you would with a friend. If you constantly beat yourself up, it can make you feel helpless, worthless, and less motivated. Boost that self confidence by giving yourself a compliment. Train yourself to focus on the positives. Write them in a journal or put a post it on a mirror. Positive affirmations are a great way to demonstrate self love. Part of practicing self love is learning to extend compassion and kindness to ourselves.
Next, take care of yourself and prioritize what’s important. Sounds basic enough, right? Eat healthy. Drink plenty of water. Get some exercise. Just start small and imagine what you would tell a child to do. Feeling tired? Get some extra sleep and try to eat a little better. Is your body stiff and out of shape? Incorporate more activity or a routine exercise program. We are often convinced that we are too busy because we all have responsibilities. Think of the things that are most important to you and make more time for them in your life.
And finally, celebrate the little victories and find support if you need it. Set expectations for yourself and work really hard to meet those standards. But don’t beat yourself up when you don’t. Minor accomplishments add up and create momentum for reaching the end goal. Focus on yourself and stop comparing yourself to others. Self love is a lifelong practice and some days will be better than others. Reaching out to the people in your life that you trust and feel comfortable with can help you on your journey. Loving yourself has mental and physical health benefits. It’ll take time, but you just might learn to appreciate a whole new side of yourself.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, safe, and practice self love! ~Sally~
