The Self-Love Club
It is important to maintain healthy relationships with those around us, but what about the relationship we have with ourselves? The relationship we have with ourselves is one of the most important relationships we have in our lives as it is directly linked to our overall well-being. Nurturing your body and mind has an endless amount of benefits such as increasing your self-esteem and self-worth. While practicing self-love helps in a lot of ways internally, it also helps in improving the things we encounter outside of ourselves such as our social relationships. As you begin to recognize your own value and practice self-love it will become easier to show those around you the same love and compassion. Loving yourself is not a quick process and it takes time to learn how to love and accept yourself. Consider trying out the following five ways that you can practice self-love.
Take Care of Your Mind and Body
Nourishing your body and mind is essential in helping you feel your best. By eating healthy and incorporating daily movement into your schedule, you are ensuring that your body gets the things it needs. Try setting small daily goals that you can work towards such as drinking more water, going on an evening walk, or meditating in the morning.
Treat Yourself to a Date
Spending time with yourself is a great way to recharge your battery. Take some time to do something you enjoy like seeing a movie, going to a coffee shop, or stopping by your favorite bookstore.
Pamper Yourself
Taking care of yourself is more than just implementing a healthy routine. Take some time to treat yourself, grab a sweet treat, give yourself a spa day, binge watch your favorite show, or get a manicure, you don’t need a reason to show yourself some kindness!
Journal
Getting your feelings out on a page can help you process them so that you can gain an improved level of self-awareness. As you process your emotions try not to minimize them, this will allow you to properly acknowledge how you are feeling. By letting your feelings flow you validate how you are feeling and clear your head space, helping to reduce stress levels.
Celebrate Your Wins
Sometimes it can be easy for us to undermine our own wins but remember that your accomplishments deserve to be celebrated no matter how big or small they are. Take time to acknowledge and appreciate your hard work by doing something you love. Whether it’s with friends, family, or on your own, you deserve to be celebrated!
Written by Joanna Simms, Undergraduate Intern