Remembering To Love YOU

On this day of loving others, we often forget ourselves. Living a healthy life means having a healthy relationship with yourself.

So, what does self love look like? Because, as we all know, we must first love ourselves before we can go out and love others.

Photo by graur razvan ionut

Surround Yourself with Healthy, Loving, and Supportive Relationships: Find those who build you up, support you in times of need and chose to love you, no matter what may arise.  Don't waste your time on those who refuse to give and only take.

Engage in Activities That Foster A Happy Spirit: Do the things you love most and keep doing them! Try new things with an open mind and cut the things out of your day that just don't make you happy.

FailING Doesn't Mean You're A FailURE: Understand that you will mess up in life. But kicking yourself while your down only causes self-abuse. Learn from your mistakes and chose to try again.

Stop Self Hating: What you put into the world is what you'll get out of it. Listen to the things you say to yourself.  Would you ever say them to your sister or your best friend? No? So why do you accept that kind of abuse from yourself? None of us are perfect, but dwelling on those imperfections doesn't change them. A willing spirit to change for the better does.

Embrace New Opportunities & Be Willing to Take Risks: Don't get stuck in a rut. Life will offer you new challenges and opportunities to grow and learn new, incredible, life-changing things. Some of life's best memories come from those new experiences.

Trust Yourself: Self-doubt is my strong suit. Saying "I can't" before I've even tried gives into my own self-hating. Don't judge your abilities before you've truly tested them.

Celebrate the Small Things: Sometimes, at the end of the day, you just need to give yourself a "Job well done" for surviving another 8 hours at work, or for finding the motivation to try that new exercise, or for simply living another day positively. Reward yourself for doing good and celebrate the little things in life.

Love Your Body By Eating Healthy & Exercising: For me, one of the highest forms of respect for self is respecting your body.  Self harm through poisonous eating, harmful habits like smoking, and living a sedentary life is you saying "I'm not important enough to treat my body well." Do you diet & exercise because you HATE how you look and want to live up to societal standards? Or do you do it because you love yourself and you want to live a long, strong, and healthy life? Not only do positive thoughts and actions lead to a healthy, loving spirit, but keeping your body well nourished and challenged with exercise leads to a healthy, loving body.  It's the only body you have, so give it lots of respect and care.

Now, before you go out today to shower others with love & praise, remember to love, respect, and trust yourself. Sit for a minute and think about the things you like about yourself and how you can continue to foster that spirit of joy and happiness.