Let me guess. This is not the first article you’ve read online talking about self-love.
When looking online for advice you will see a number of things branded as “self-love essential” which in fact are just possible tools in a sea of many.
Today, we will not be looking at these tools, but instead will look at simple habits you can think about on a daily basis and apply to your life today.
So, what are the 5 key habits you need in order to love yourself fully?
1. Pay attention to your words
We often ignore little things we say about ourselves or our lives that are negative, however our subconscious brain definitely does not ignore them! In fact, the part of our brain which creates beliefs, actually latches on to these little things and uses them to reinforce or create self-destructive thoughts. On the flip side, if we are kind to ourselves with our words and thoughts, we programme our brains for self-love.
2. Stay as present as possible
When we worry about the past or future too much, we take focus away from the act of living. When we can focus on the here-and-now and show gratitude for our current situation, we are rewarded instantly. Therefore we can immediately love ourselves and our situation more.
3. Be honest with yourself
You deserve total honesty – from others and from yourself. When you are 100% honest with yourself you can no longer be frightened of the unknown parts of you. When you know yourself fully, you can actively make a choice to either accept or change, therefore you are giving yourself more control over your life and how you feel.
4. Prioritise fun
This is a great quick-fix for when you’re feeling a bit down or having a low day.
Self-love = Feeling good
Feeling good = Expressing happiness
Expressing happiness = Doing fun/enjoyable things
If self-love leads to doing fun and enjoyable things, then doing fun and enjoyable things can also lead to self-love. When you want to feel good, take action so you can feel some positive emotions and in-turn feel happier with yourself.
5. Stick to your values, no matter what
Your core values can be applied to every situation in life. Which means every single decision we make is an opportunity to either align with or come away from our values. If you want to refocus your actions, ask yourself “what can I do that feels authentic to me and what I value?”.
These habits require nothing more than intentional thinking, but could make a huge impact in your life, especially with continued practice.
If you get it wrong occasionally or forget to apply one of these habits, congratulations, you’re human. We cannot expect ourselves to get everything right all the time.
Keep trying and keep these habits in your mind as much as possible. You will start to notice a difference in how you feel very soon.
Which habit do you think will be the easiest for you and which habit do you think will be the hardest?