What Exactly is Self-Love?

While there is no universally accepted definition of self-love, today’s post will give you a clearer idea of what it encompasses and how to cultivate habits that will ultimately lead to helping you embrace self-love in your daily life. Keep reading to find out more.
 
About Self-Love
There are a lot of misconceptions about self-love that might make it difficult for you to accept that the concept is one that’s actually good for you. When people hear the term “self-love,” they often think that it means being overly fixated on yourself or narcissistic. That’s not the case at all.

​What self-love means is simply having a positive regard for yourself. It involves caring about your health, happiness, and wellbeing. It also requires you to avoid sacrificing yourself for others or settling for less than you deserve. These are all perfectly acceptable, even desirable, actions.
 
Habits of Self-Love
There are some habits you can adopt that might help you better your practice of self-love.

One way to do it is to stop being so concerned with others. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care for other people. However, it does mean it’s best to stop worrying about what others think and to stop comparing yourself to others. Instead, it’s okay to center yourself sometimes.

Also, remember it’s okay to make mistakes. Everyone does. Mistakes allow you to grow. Another habit of self-love is to trust your own decisions. Second guessing invalidates your feelings of worth.

Finally, being kind to yourself is one of the most important habits associated with self-love. Remember to treat yourself as kindly as you would treat someone you care about.
 
Ways to Cultivate Self-Love
There are some specific steps you can take to cultivate self-love. I’ll share just a few here.

For one, it’s important to pay attention to the messages you tell yourself. When you catch yourself saying something negative, take a moment to reframe that message. For example, instead of saying, “I’ll never get the promotion,” consider changing it to a more positive statement such as, “I have the qualifications for this job, and I won’t know if I can get it unless I try.”

Another way to gain more self-love is to engage in self-care. Eat well, take time to rest, and enjoy leisure activities. When you feel recharged, you’re better able to manage life.