In this age, a lot of people are suffering from anxieties and depression. Most are pressured to keep up with the demands of society.
You should have these achievements when you reach a certain age. Your life should be ironed out but this time. It makes antsy and as we fail to keep with the expectations.
It can be relationships that aren’t healthy. Or maybe past trauma from failure and feeling neglected.
These negative thoughts slowly chip our self-worth inside. For this year (or any starting point for that matter), it’s time to love yourself. It’s time to practice self-love to make our lives meaningful regardless of the circumstances thrown to us.
But how do you do that? Here are 13 ways to practice self-love for better well-being.
Be Kind to Yourself
The cornerstone of self-love is being kind to yourself. It’s the time to promote your well-being, to understand your flaws, and to love yourself for who you are. It’s taking care of your needs without harming others in the process.
It starts within. If you are kind to yourself, you can be kind to other people as well. And this kindness will circulate better vibes for your wellbeing.
Put Yourself first
In the process of loving yourself, it’s time to put yourself first. You should prioritize your happiness, your physical, emotional, and mental health. Don’t feel bad when you don’t make yourself available to others all the time.
If you are doing this back then, it’s time to change. You deserve time for yourself and your wellbeing.
Learn to Say No
And you can put yourself first by saying “Yes” to the things that matter. And saying “No” to the things that don’t. For most people, they don’t think “No” is an option. But learn that it is.
Saying NO allows you to build healthy boundaries without compromising your relationship with others. It establishes a clear expectation of people. And this is crucial when you’re learning to love yourself.
Process Your Emotions
We are all emotional beings. You feel happy when things go well. And we all definitely feel sad when we lose our loved ones or if we get rejected. Sometimes, we get consumed with all these grief and suffering.
The first step for self-love is to process your emotions. Allow yourself to feel the hurt and pain. Do not keep it in. Yes, grieve through it. But through the course of acceptance, know that things will be better. And everything happened for a reason.
You can try out journaling to process your emotions healthily during these moments. Affirmations are also a good practice to condition your mind for the better.
Start a Gratitude Journal
On top of journaling, you can also keep a gratitude journal. There are multiple studies that say gratitude can make you happier. It’s just as simple as listing down all the things that you are thankful for the day.
Maybe, these are opportunities or interactions with our loved ones. Maybe it’s as simple as being thankful for the food you’re eating. It elicits positive emotions and trickles down to a better mindset and wellbeing.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Everyone can agree that we are good at something. But there will always be people who are better than you. People who are more attractive, more skilled, more blessed, and so on. It’s toxic to compare yourself with others.
Yes, you can admire them from afar. It’s quite to feel envy. You might feel negative emotions because they are maybe seemingly enjoying life more, or are achieving a lot of things you want.
It’s time to stop comparing yourself with others. Believe that you can bring value to people and you can be happy regardless if someone is happier or better. It’s time to stop competing and mainly aim to improve yourself.
Connect With Friends
It might be a cliche, but nobody is an island. Self-love doesn’t mean you only care about yourself. It’s time to connect with your closest friends again. According to studies, positive relationships boosts self-esteem.
And it’s quite essential because if you have meaningful relationships, it can trickle down to everything you do. Your mood will be better. Your outlook in life will be better. Overall, you will be happier and you will love yourself even more.
Let Go of Toxic People
On the other hand, there will be people who will make your life miserable. Some of our “friends” and family deter the quality of our life. In your quest for happiness, you should learn to let go of toxic people.
Toxic people are present in many forms. Some are emotionally unhealthy. Some might be unsupportive and negative. Some might be outright abusive.
Rethink about keeping them in your life. Sometimes, you can live better without them.
If the toxic person is your family, you can’t actually cut them in your life. Maybe it’s time to love them first from afar and focus on other people who truly care about you.
Take on New Opportunities
Nothing is more satisfying than moving forward. And one aspect is your career. In your quest, it’s time to take on new opportunities and challenges.
Maybe try out new things. It might be a good time to start a business or a new side hustle. The thrill of something new will keep you looking forward in the future.
Exercise and Eat Healthy
Self-love is not all about your inner emotions and feelings. It should also be coupled with a healthy body. It doesn’t have to be drastic.
Pick a diet that can be sustainable for your lifestyle. It might be just adding an apple per day. Or adapting a non-intrusive exercise routine like 20 mins of cardio a day. Of course, you can add more to it when you have built the habit.
It’s time to exercise and eat healthy for a new you.
Celebrate Your Wins, Even Small Ones
A lot of people don’t celebrate their wins. They are afraid that people might think they are arrogant, especially in the Philippines. I tell you, let them speak in the background. It’s time that you ignore them and celebrate your victories, even the small ones.
Celebrating your small victories allows you to get the motivation to keep in track with your goals. It’s like keeping checkpoints or milestones before you hit your final goal. It makes you excited and happy with your accomplishments, and, ultimately, with your life.
Learn to Rest
We want to do a lot of things in our lives. But when do you stop? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with goal getting. It makes life exciting. But you should learn to take a step back and rest.
If your to-dos are all over the place, it’s best to schedule your rest as well. As for me, I don’t work after 9 PM. And I make it a point to do nothing work-related during Sundays. In this way, I can balance my work and my career.
It might be different for you, but you would be happier if you can find the time to adequately rest for your wellbeing.
Forgive Yourself
We all make mistakes. You might miss opportunities, or people might leave your life because of some crucial mistakes. Some scenarios may be harder than others. But it’s time to forgive yourself.
Know that your decisions back then were a result of the available information for you. It’s probably the best decision with what you have back then. Right now, it might seem to be the wrong decision. It’s alright.
If you can still save the wrong decision, do what you must. But what’s essential is learning from those mistakes and moving forward knowing that you are a better person because of it.
Conclusion
What are the things you will apply to practice self-love? Are you ready to become the best person you can be this year? We are excited to see you grow! Cheers!
