“Talk to yourself like someone you love”. Brene Brown
There is no denying that we all could use a little more love in our lives. Although it is not just others who we need to be kind and loving towards, we also need to be more loving and gentle with ourselves.
Too often, as women, we are our own worst critics, harshly judging ourselves for every little mistake. We put a tremendous amount of pressure on ourselves to be perfect and when we fall short, we tend to feel unworthy and less than. That is why learning how to love ourselves wholeheartedly, flaws and all, and practicing self-love daily is essential for our well being.
Defining Self-Love
Self-love is defined as having a high regard for one’s own happiness and well-being. It is a fundamental part of our life that we must nurture if we are to stay healthy, happy and balanced. We often think of self-love in terms of pampering ourselves or taking the time to do something special for ourselves, but it goes beyond that. Practicing self-love requires us to be mindful of how we treat ourselves emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.
4 Ways to Practice Self-Love
Take Time For Yourself
Set aside intentional time to be alone and unplug so that you can reflect on your thoughts and feelings without outside distractions. Make sure you carve out at least 10-20 minutes each day where you can relax in silence, meditate, read, write, or do something else that brings you peace and joy. This is your time, your sacred space, for you to simply hit the pause button and tune inward.
Taking time for yourself daily is a great way to keep overwhelm at bay, improve your productivity and recharge.
Speak Positively
We all carry internal narratives or dialogues inside of our minds based upon both conscious and unconscious beliefs about ourselves. These internal narratives are how we communicate with ourselves and are often referred to as self-talk. Sometimes our self-talk is positive, other times negative. Leveraging the power of positive self-talk can positively impact how you feel about yourself and the actions you take in your life.
One powerful strategy to help you practice positive self-talk is to first notice when negative thoughts arise. Once you catch yourself in a negative thought loop, take a pause, re-frame, and counter that thought with a positive affirmation such as “I am doing my personal best right now”. The simple act of speaking to yourself positively over time can reduce stress and anxiety and improve your self-esteem and self-worth.
Celebrate Your Accomplishments
No matter how big or small they may be, celebrating our accomplishments is an important part of self-love. When you allow the space and time to celebrate your wins you are showing yourself appreciation and acknowledging how proud you are. As a result, you are priming and motivating yourself to want to achieve more.
A great exercise that I recommend is to take a moment after completing your next task or achieving your next goal (no matter how small) and say to yourself, “I did a great job!” or “I am so proud of myself!” or another positive statement where you are acknowledging your win. Then notice how you feel after you have acknowledged your victory!
Set Healthy Boundaries
Setting boundaries with yourself and others are courageous acts of self-love. When you set a boundary you are establishing what you will and will not tolerate. This requires self-awareness. Being aware of what triggers you both on a personal and professional level is necessary for you to help you identify the boundaries you need to set for yourself and others.. Once you have clear boundaries in place, you are better able to protect your emotional, physical and psychological space.
One way to set a healthy boundary is to practice saying “no” to what does not serve you.
(Remember, “NO” is a complete sentence.) Each time you say no to someone else, you are saying yes to yourself. This will help you free up more time and energy to do what you truly want to do. I challenge you to practice saying no to something or someone that you may have said yes to in the past!
Self-Love Is A Daily Practice
Learning to love ourselves requires daily practice. This means that we need to be mindful of how we treat ourselves by practicing patience, compassion and self-awareness. This daily practice allows us not only to accept ourselves fully, but also helps us to appreciate and respect our own value and self-worth as women.
If you are struggling with negative self-talk and need some support CLICK HERE to schedule a 60-minute FREE life coaching discovery call!
On this free coaching call you will:
- Create a crystal clear vision for ultimate success so you know exactly what you want, where you’re heading, and what you need to do to make it happen.
- Uncover hidden challenges that may be sabotaging your ability to make a lasting change or that are slowing down your progress.
- Leave this session feeling renewed, re-energized, and inspired to finally achieve the changes that you wish to make…once and for all.
Click this link to book your session now!
Take your next step and learn more about how coaching can help you create more passion, purpose, confidence, and connection in your life today.
I look forward to speaking with you!
Recent Comments