10 Beautiful Ways to Practice Self-Love

Life is too short to not fall in love with yourself. So my friend, take this chance and follow these simple yet beautiful ways to practice self-love.

“You need to know that you’re enough. You are complete with or without a partner. You are enough just as you are.” – Meghan Markle.

When we talk about ‘self-love’, it doesn’t mean being self-absorbed or becoming narcissistic, but it’s all about shifting our focus to our own well-being and happiness.

Needless to say, indulging in self-care isn’t selfish, and practicing self-love might seem extravagant, but it’s absolutely necessary – especially in today’s date when we are trying to catch up with so much in life.

While the pandemic has been weighing us down heavily and we’re mostly stuck indoors, balancing between work and home chores, it’s important that we spend some time doing things we love.

When we start practicing ‘self-love’, we get closer to ourselves and we can push through our limiting beliefs and live a life that truly shines.

But it’s something that needs to be nurtured over time, and if you’re wondering how to get started with this, here are a few simple steps that’ll help you to walk on the path of loving yourself.

Ways to practice self-love:

1. Start Your Day On A Positive Note.

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” – Oprah Winfrey.

As you wake up, take a few minutes to breathe deeply, appreciate yourself and be grateful for this day.

When we tend to start our day on a happy note, we usually tend to have a more positive approach towards everything that follows.

Also, as they say, “Morning shows the day!” So that 5-minutes to remind yourself that you’ve come a long way, battled fiercely with the odds of life, and have a golden heart that can win over all.

2. Hydrate Yourself & Eat Healthy.

“Be healthy and take care of yourself, but be happy with the beautiful things that make you, you.” – Beyoncé.

One of the most important steps towards loving yourself is to take care of your body and nurture it. Consuming enough water will keep your body hydrated and ensure the proper functioning of all the systems in your body.

Eating healthy meals (with adequate amounts of carbs and proteins) will nourish your body, making it thrive better.

Try adding a lot of freshly sourced fruits & veggies to your diet. Occasionally, you can treat yourself to a slice of pizza or a cheesecake, but don’t indulge in eating too much junk!

3. Take Some Time Out To Move Your Body!

“If you don’t love yourself, nobody else will.” – Wayne Dyer.

Let me tell you a fact that physical activities are intrinsically attached to our moods and have a direct impact on our mental & physical health.

In order to keep ourselves functioning properly, we need to move our body and exercise a bit, regularly. And when I say ‘exercise’, I don’t essentially mean hitting the gym!

You can spend some time playing your favorite outdoor game – like basketball or badminton. Or just go for a run, jog, or brisk walk.

You can also indulge in practicing yoga if that’s something you enjoy. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Go out to pick your groceries rather than ordering everything online. Opting for simple lifestyle changes can also make a big difference!

4. Surround Yourself With People Who Love & Encourage You.

“Good things happen in your life when you surround yourself with positive people.” – Roy T. Bennett.

What can be better than surrounding ourselves with people who love us and never fail to motivate us?

Honestly, the kind of people we spend time with has a direct impact on our mood in general. They are the ones who encourage us to take risks and to follow our passion, push us to step out of our comfort zone, and criticizes us when needed.

They never fail to remind you just how amazing you are! Let go of the toxic people from life, and you’d feel relieved.

Related: Benefits of spending time with positive people

5. Stop Comparing Yourself With Others.

“A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” – Mark Twain.

You’re unique in your own way! When we keep comparing ourselves (or our lives) with others, we tend to think we aren’t good enough.

But that’s not true! There’s no one on this planet like you, so you cannot fairly compare yourself to someone else. The only person you should compare yourself to is you.

6. Celebrate Your Wins, No Matter How Tiny They Are!

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha.

No matter how big or small your achievements are, make sure to celebrate them! Pat yourself on the back and be proud of your achievements – you deserve it.

You don’t need to throw a grand party (well, you can if you wish to), but sometimes treating yourself with a cup of coffee or taking your parents out for dinner would also matter. It’s these little joys of life that help us steer through life.

7. Turn Off Your Work Notifications.

“It is so important to take time for yourself and find clarity. The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.” – Diane Von Furstenberg.

We can only indulge in loving ourselves when we start balancing between our personal & professional lives. In the post-pandemic world, as work from home became a norm, we often forget to draw a line between the two, and end up working more than we should!

Thus, we lose out on enjoying some ‘Me Time’ which is essential for our own well-being. The best thing that you can do is, put off your work notifications once you are done for the day, and take some time off your gadgets.

8. Learn To Forgive Yourself.

“To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.” – Denis Waitley.

One of the most important lessons of life is to learn how to practice self-compassion. We all make mistakes in life – some big & some small – and there can be times when our mistakes can seem to be earth-shattering, they probably won’t!

It’s important for us to move on in life, embracing our faults and learning from our mistakes. We should know how to forgive ourselves, be compassionate enough to understand that we did wrong because there was some reason, and promise ourselves to never repeat that again.

Holding onto our mistakes can create a huge impact on our mental health – thus, it’s extremely important to forgive ourselves.

9. Take Yourself Out For A Date!

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball.

Ever thought about how beautiful it would be, to dress up for yourself and go to your favorite restaurant for a meal?

Well, yeah! We rarely think of doing such things for ourselves but trust me when I say this, going for a date all by yourself will make you feel more confident and boost your happiness.

Go shopping and indulge in some retail therapy or get a spa to relax.

10. Indulge In Self-Talking.

“Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.” – Katrina Mayer.

Have you ever told yourself how beautiful or strong you are? Or the things that you absolutely love about yourself?

Did you ever care to thank yourself for being the way you are?

Well, our self-care journey is all about learning and indulging in self-conversations. When we have those inner dialogues, we tend to entangle the clutter in our mind which often keeps bothering us.

It’s only when we are mindful of our own thoughts, we can look at ourselves in better lights. If you’re having difficulties engaging with yourself through self-talk, try journaling. Write about your thoughts, express them.

Final thoughts

Self-love is all about being satisfied in your own skin. Find your happy place. Let go of all the negative thoughts.

Be realistic. Look inwards. Get creative. You’d soon realize that you can enjoy being you & no one else is responsible for your happiness!

Practicing self-love & self-care can take time, but you can always follow these simple steps. You’d surely see the results in the days ahead. If you think there’s anything we missed out on, let us know in the comments below.