There’s no love like self-love. It’s true that one of the first and most important relationships we form in life is the relationship we have with ourselves. From as early as we can remember, we start experiencing life and discovering who we are in connection to the world around us.
Our value and sense of self-worth are shaped by these things, but what ends up happening far too often is we go through situations and encounters that leave us feeling neglected, rejected, unappreciated, and even undesirable, and these things leave us feeling “less than” or flawed with a poor sense of self and low confidence.
How often has this happened and how often have we heard the term “self-love” thrown into the mix? As often as it comes up, how do we actually define self-love and do we believe in it enough to practice it? Before we get into things like self-love affirmations and scheduling self-care activities, let’s start by asking what is self-love and begin by breaking it down.
By definition, self-love is a “regard for one’s own well-being and happiness (mainly seen as a desirable rather than narcissistic characteristic)”, and so, by practising self-love a person not only shows an appreciation for self, but they’re able to aspire to be the best version of themselves for them, and in turn, for others.
Today, if you haven’t found a good enough reason to start practising self-love, here are 3 reasons to help you refocus and get on the path to loving yourself unapologetically.
1. Self-love increases your self-confidence.
Once you start choosing yourself and building a healthy relationship with yourself with the understanding that you’re worthy and deserving, you walk with a different stride. Your ability to be confident in doing the things that make you feel good without feeling guilty will stem from practising self-love boldly.
2. Self-love allows you to make healthy decisions.
Sometimes we stay in positions, relationships, and circumstances because we feel we won’t get, or we don’t deserve more. When you love yourself enough to choose yourself, it becomes a lot easier to make the choice to do the things that meet your needs and have a better impact on your life and future.
3. Self-love liberates you from things that compromise your ability to be your true self.
How many times have you found yourself suppressing who you are or inconveniencing yourself to make others comfortable or happy? Well, that typically happens when you’re putting what other people think and feel above what matters to you. Although it can be great to be considerate of others, when you do it at the expense of your own well-being, it can be detrimental. Loving who you are from a healthy place allows you to be the most authentic version of yourself without stripping away what makes you unique.
When you think of self-love, what are the top 3 things that come to your mind? If they’re things you can practice to show yourself love, jot them down and begin putting them into play!
