Loving yourself sounds like an easy task, but it can actually take hard work. We are often so kind to people around us, but don’t realize how cruel we are to ourselves. But self love is important, and the key to truly living a happier life. If you are constantly talking down about yourself, or feeling insecure everywhere you go, you will never fully enjoy any of life’s experiences.
Stop saying sorry
Do you find yourself apologizing for everything you do, even just casually amongst friends or to strangers? We are programmed to think we must be overly polite to the extent of extreme and constant self-correction. This is not good for your self image, in thinking that you are constant in a state of wrongness. Try replacing “I’m sorry,” with “thank you.” It replaces guilt with gratitude, and will eventually change your concept of yourself.
Surround yourself with positivity
If you are on a path to improving yourself, it is worth it to analyze your circle. The work of positive mental attitude starts with you, but it is important to make sure that positivity is reinforced with the family, friends or significant other you interact with regularly. If you have people around you that criticize you or are negative about themselves, it will be hard to make progress.
Admire yourself
We spend a lot of time scrolling through social media, idolizing people we don’t really know. Instead of admiring intangible, distant people, take stock of your own beauty and form. Take a few minutes in the mirror each day and find one thing you like about yourself. Try to appreciate the way you look for a few minutes every day, without being critical.
Stop criticizing yourself
The above mirror exercise can only work if you can ignore the urge to find fault in everything different about you. Those wrinkles, stretch marks, cheek blemishes or love handles are what make you beautiful and unique. Those are the things you have to train your mind to stop looking at as mistakes, and start viewing as gorgeous.
Say affirmations
If that voice you need to work on remains in your head, it can be hard to control how you think of yourself. Start saying positive things about your body; I mean, become almost borderline obsessive with telling yourself out loud why you are beautiful. There is a lot of negativity in your head that you have to un-train yourself from believing – which means you have to be assertive with positively speaking life and love to your inner voice. What you say and hear will eventually become what you think .
Exercise with intention
If every workout session you have is unbearable and unfavorable, you are definitely going to hate working out – and likely hate your body for not performing better at said workout. Running on a treadmill is not for everyone, just like a dance class isn’t either. Try to find the style of exercise that makes you feel good about your body, and is your idea of fun. This could be gym workouts, dancing, nature walks, canoeing, or even hula hooping. Whatever you find, having fun while working out will tell your body that it is beautiful and capable.