Quick! Name five things you love.
Did you name yourself? Probably not. Doing so would somehow feel selfish, right? Let us stop you right there! As explained in this episode of House Guest with Kenzie Elizabeth, self-love is NOT selfish!!
But we get it, it’s hard to let go of that mindset. But hear us out! Self-love can have a significant influence on all the different aspects of your life.
It’s hard to see unless you’re really paying attention to it, but how you feel about yourself can affect your health, career, relationships, and your overall wellness. Yeah, basically it impacts EVERYTHING.
Before we get into it, be sure to save these podcast episodes: How to Fall in Love with Yourself!! from What We Said and 4 Ways To Self Love from Almost Adulting. They’ll give you a total deep-dive on self-love! After you listen to those, check out these practical ways to fall in love with yourself:
How to Fall in Love with Yourself
Get to know your authentic self.
How well do you really know yourself? Are there aspects of your personality that you hide, for whatever reason? Maybe you have worries and dreams that you tuck away out of fear of being judged. If this resonates with you, it’s time to get to know your true self.
It’s practically impossible to truly love yourself if you’re pretending to be someone you’re not. Self-reflection can work wonders for self-discovery and, in turn, self-love!
Journaling is an AMAZING tool for self-discovery. Write down anything and everything you are thinking and feeling. Be honest with yourself; no one will ever know what you write. Here’s how to journal from The Dream Bigger podcast if you’re new to this. Over time, you’ll get to know yourself on a level you never have before and find love that you never knew existed.
For more incredible insight into embracing your true self and identity, check out this episode of Him and Her, as well as this episode of Barely Filtered.
Focus on your accomplishments.
It’s easy to forget just how AMAZING you are when you’re always focused on other people. A great way to show yourself some love is to focus on the things you’ve accomplished. Your accomplishments, both big and small, are things to be proud of.
Spend time making a list of your accomplishments. It will serve as a reminder of what you’ve achieved and make it easier to remember how valuable and capable you are. Hang it on your fridge so that at least once a day, you’ll feel a sense of pride and admiration. Those positive feelings will help you learn how to love yourself, especially when self-doubt creeps in.
Be kind to yourself.
Give yourself a break!
No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. You’ve got to learn how to forgive yourself and cut yourself some slack. Sometimes we expect too much of ourselves, which can cause self-resentment. Remember, we’re aiming for the opposite here!
Pay close attention to how you talk to yourself and make a conscious effort to be more kind. If you wouldn’t talk to your best friend that way, don’t talk to yourself that way! To remind yourself of this, rock this Be Kind to Your Mind tote bag!
Face your fears.
Listen, no matter how much you might enjoy scary movies or haunted houses, no one actually enjoys being afraid. After all, in those instances, the fear is fleeting.
As for the other kinds of fear, like the ones that you’ve felt since you were a kid, those are the kinds of fear that we’re talking about here. And, those are the fears that you should face.
Overcoming a fear, whether it’s a fear of public speaking or a fear of heights, never fails to make you feel good… almost superhuman! Facing something that has had a chokehold on your existence can work wonders for your self-confidence and make you feel a sense of self-love that you’ve never felt before.
Pick something you’re afraid of, feel the fear, and DO IT ANYWAY!!!
For more on how facing fear can help you love yourself, check out this episode of Everything Is The Best and this episode of Looking Up.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
Easier said than done, right? But seriously, it’s time we stop comparing ourselves to other people. Sure, it sounds a bit cliche, but there’s only one YOU. That “not good enough” feeling comes from trying to be someone else. And, we can pretty much guarantee that the person you’re comparing yourself to isn’t the picture of perfection they appear to be.
This is also goes for your body! Your body is beautiful and perfect just the way it is. Health goals are great, but make sure they’re actually good for you and not you trying to achieve an unrealistic Instagram model physique. That’s not real anyway!!! For more on that, hang out with our girl Victoria over at Real Pod with the episode called Bad Body-Image Days, That “Not Good Enough” Feeling, & The Pressures of Being An Influencer. It’s a good one!
Practice positive affirmations.
Daily affirmations can make a HUGE difference in your daily life. But it isn’t enough just to say some words to yourself. You have to feel them. It might seem silly AF at first, but trust us… positive affirmations are a MUST when you’re striving to fall in love with yourself.
Check out this post for our favorite self-love affirmations.
Learn to trust yourself.
How often do you doubt or second-guess yourself? Do you frequently question your abilities?
To truly love yourself, you first have to be able to trust yourself. Think of a person who’s hard to trust and consider how you feel about them. They’re probably pretty hard to love too, right? The same goes for yourself! The more trust you have in yourself, the easier it is to love yourself.
Here are some ways to build self-trust:
- Focus on times when you’ve successfully handled tough situations.
- When you make a promise to yourself, keep it.
- Go with your gut; follow your intuition.
- Let go of self-doubt by focusing on your strengths.
- Show up for yourself EVERY DAY.
Date yourself.
Is there a place you’ve been dying to go to or something you’ve wanted to do? Go there! Do it! Why rely on someone else to wine and dine you when you can do it yourself? OK… sure, it’s nice when it’s coming from someone else. But rather than waiting for them to make it happen, use it as an opportunity to enjoy a different kind of alone time.
Whether you sit down for a cup of coffee and a good book at your favorite coffee shop or go to the theater to see a play, there’s no shame in going alone. You’ll not only have a great time, but it’ll boost your mental health and self-confidence! TREAT YO’SELF!!
Speaking of confidence, check out the episode of Uncut & Uncensored with Caroline Stanbury, Confidence Stars with Me! and the episode of Real Pod, Where CONFIDENCE comes from! for some game-changing insight into boosting your self-confidence.
Practice healthy habits.
Let’s not forget about our physical well-being. It’s hard to feel good emotionally when you like sh*t physically. Do your body a favor and adopt a few healthy habits.
It doesn’t have to be anything life-changing. Try incorporating a few healthy habits into your daily or weekly routine and reap the benefits almost immediately. Some great healthy habits to consider include:
Address unmet needs.
Take some time to consider what you need more of in your life. Do you need more alone time or to spend more time with friends and family? Do you need a new hobby? Are you exercising too little or too much? When was the last time you went on vacation?
Figure out what needs of yours aren’t being met and take care of them. It’s easier to fall in love with yourself when your needs are fulfilled.
It’s time to show yourself the same love you show others.
This is your sign to start NOW. Fall in love with yourself and start treating yourself the way you deserve to be treated! Make sure you never forget how worthy you are of love by using this self-care mug every morning. It’s the perfect way to start your day focusing on the most important person in your universe: YOU!
For more life advice and podcast recs, check out the Dear Media blog! And, browse our whole show catalog for more AMAZING podcasts that’ll help you level-up your life in every way. With Dear Media, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!!
