Self-love is a lifelong journey. We’ve all heard sayings like, “You need to love yourself first before loving someone else.” But what are some tangible ways can we incorporate self-love into our daily lives? Start your journey now with these 21 easy practices.
- Celebrate the things that make you different. What are the unique personality traits, flaws, and qualities that make you you? Be proud of these characteristics and your individuality.
- Unfollow social media accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. If you find that you’re constantly comparing yourself to unrealistic expectations on social media and feeling inadequate, unfollow every account that makes you feel like you’re not enough. Only follow accounts that uplift you and add positivity to your life.
- Start working toward a personal goal. Take on a new personal goal you want to accomplish that has nothing to do with work or school. Start learning a new language, get into a running routine, or mastering your cooking skills.
4. Reflect on one thing you did today that you’re proud you accomplished. Every night before bed, write down at least one accomplishment that you’re proud of. From helping a friend to checking off a task on your to-do list, take pride in your achievements.
5. Let go of toxic relationships. If you have any toxic people in your life, cut ties or limit the amount of time you spend with them for your own health and wellbeing.
6. Spend more time with people who make you happy. Make plans with someone who you enjoy being around and adds value to your life.
7. Read a self-improvement book. Practice self-love by learning new ways to better yourself. Choose a self-development goal and get educated on ways you can start practicing it in your day to day life.
8. Journal. Journaling can teach you so much about yourself and help you recognize areas of your life that you’re unsatisfied with or need to prioritize more. You can use prompts as a guide, or just freely write whatever you’re feeling at the moment.
9. Write a letter to your younger self. In many cases, a lack of self-love stems from beliefs that were instilled in us during childhood. Get in touch with your younger self and think about what words of encouragement you’d share with her.
10. Every morning, look in the mirror and acknowledge 3 things you love about yourself. While you’re getting ready for the day, look in the mirror and point out 3 physical traits you love.
11. Set boundaries and don’t be afraid to say no. Know your limits and don’t overwhelm yourself with too many commitments. Recognizing when you need a break is a form of self-love.
12. Positive affirmations. Affirmations are a powerful tool and can help you build confidence and resilience. Write down or reflect on positive affirmations that motivate you and encourage self-love.
13. Accept compliments instead of deflecting them. Give yourself permission to accept compliments and recognize when others appreciate you. Instead of getting uncomfortable and deflecting compliments or refusing to acknowledge them, make a point to say “thank you.”
14. Practice self-compassion. When you’re going through a hard time, feel the same compassion for yourself that you would for a friend. Don’t be hard on yourself; treat yourself in the same gentle and uplifting way you’d want to be treated by others.
15. Do 1 thing a day that makes you happy. No matter how small or simple it is, do something that you enjoy today. It could be having a cup of your favorite tea, watching a show you love, or taking a long bath.
16. Clean and decorate your workspace. Keeping your desk organized both at home and at work is a simple thing you can do for yourself that will make your day a little more enjoyable.
17. Do an act of kindness. Did you know that making others happy helps boost your confidence and makes you happier, too? Spreading love to others is a great way to practice self-love.
18. Forgive yourself. Don’t be so hard on yourself about mistakes you’ve made in the past. Recognize how you’ve changed and grown since then, and instead of holding onto guilt, focus on what you can learn from those experiences.
19. Replace false beliefs with positive self-talk. What you think about yourself is not always true. In fact, a lot of us are harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else. Be aware of your inner dialogue. When a negative thought comes up, replace it with a positive one.
20. Take care of your body. Drinking more water, eating right, and getting into a workout routine is a simple way to care for your body and mind.
21. Give yourself a break. Take a day off every once in a while to do something you enjoy, and take frequent breaks throughout your workday. Giving yourself time to relax will prevent burnout and boost your productivity.
Whether you do some of these things already or you don’t have any self-love activities in your normal routine, you can come back to these tips anytime you need a confidence boost. * Subscribe to my email list below for more tips on mental health & self-development. *
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