Every day, we navigate the relationships we have with our colleagues, friends, life partners, kids, and others. We strive to treat them respectfully and compassionately, hoping to receive the same fair treatment in return. While that’s all fine and dandy, there’s one relationship that we neglect. I’m talking about the relationship you have with yourself.
How often do you reward yourself for all the hard work you do? Do you ever give yourself a break when schedules become overwhelming? Do you distance yourself from people who belittle or do you tolerate their behavior each time? All these questions point to one subject: self-love. In the following post, I’ll explain what self-love means and ways to nurture it. Read on to learn more.
What Is Self-Love?
Self-love means that you accept who you are, hence, treat yourself with the kindness and love that you deserve. It means making a deliberate choice to nurture your growth and put your needs first when necessary.
Practicing self-love means you recognize your value; thus, treat yourself accordingly. In terms of mental health, having self-love has been linked to:
- Increased feelings of happiness
- More self-acceptance
- Better sleep patterns
- Less anxiety
That said, it’s important to note that self-love is usually balanced. Even though you view yourself in a positive light, this self-love doesn’t hamper your ability to co-exist with others peacefully. In other words, it doesn’t turn into self-absorbed, narcissistic behavior. To help you understand this phenomenon clearly, I’ll be highlighting the different ways you can nurture self-love:
How to Nurture Self-Love
Learn to Take Breaks
Whether you’re juggling between work and family or school, taking breaks can seem pretty impossible. “I barely have enough time to complete my projects. So, why would I want to take a break?” I hear you and your reasons are justified.
However, working yourself to the bone only hurts your productivity in the long term. You’ll become mentally and physically fatigued. And as a result, you won’t be as productive as you would be if you were well-rested. Furthermore, breaks enhance your mood, helping you navigate tricky situations wisely.
Practice Mindfulness
Engaging in mindfulness activities is an excellent way to practice self-love. It helps you become aware of your thinking patterns and behavior. Whether you choose to do some yoga or meditation, such activities encourage you to focus on your present self.
You can recognize what’s going on internally and make changes if necessary. For instance, if you have a habit of thinking about the worst possible outcomes, you’ll be able to identify this and correct your patterns. Rather than focus on the what-ifs, brainstorm ideas to help you achieve a positive outcome.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
A big portion of practising self-love is recognizing your efforts. With life getting harder by the day, you can get so absorbed in planning for the future or reflecting on the past.
However, worrying excessively about the past and future only hurts your mental well-being. You might end up experiencing so much stress and anxiety that you’re unable to concentrate on the present. “Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” (Luke 12:24)
Instead, consider keeping a gratitude journal. It settles your mind by reminding you of all the accomplishments you’ve done. It also trains you to be appreciative of the small things in life. Did you wake up healthy today? List it as one of the things you’re thankful for.
