Self-love is a journey. It doesn’t come easily or quickly for most of us. Learning to love, care for, and respect ourselves takes time and dedication. It’s a process that comes with ups and downs. You’ll have some rough days, and you’ll want to throw in the towel. After all, many of our negative beliefs and habits have been ingrained in us throughout our whole lives. It will take time and practice to overcome these habits and start treating yourself with love. However, there are some simple hacks you can do to get started on the right foot and start feeling better about yourself today. Check them out.
Treat Yourself Like a Friend
One quick way to begin to show yourself some love is to treat yourself the way you would treat a friend or loved one. If you catch yourself repeating negative messages or putting yourself down, take time to consider whether you’d talk to someone you care about in such a manner. If not, you definitely shouldn’t be treating yourself with such disdain. After all, a core component of self-love is self-care. Caring about yourself isn’t selfish. It shows that you understand your worth and that you value who you are as a person. Try to take note when you start spouting negative self-talk. Then change it around to something more positive. Treat yourself with as much compassion as you would treat a friend.
Understand Your Triggers
We all have triggers that can elicit a reflexive reaction in us. When you find yourself feeling irritable, annoyed, hurt, or angry by something someone says or does, take time to consider why it is you’re feeling that way. This type of insight and self-awareness can truly help you to be more understanding and nurturing with yourself. It can also provide the knowledge you need to push past those triggers and to feel more at ease with yourself
Look Outside Yourself
It may sound counterintuitive but looking outside yourself at ways you can help others is a fantastic way to help yourself feel better. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and to wallow in our own problems. In fact, it’s only human to do so. However, you can break out of such negative patterns by proactively looking for ways you can make a difference to someone else. Even the smallest steps can help. For example, taking time to listen to a friend’s problem can help you to feel more connected to them and to feel proud that you were able to be there for them. It can also help to put some of your own life’s issues into perspective. Find ways to look outside yourself if you find you need a quick pick-me-up.
Keep these tips in mind to help you feel better about yourself when you’re in a funk. These simple things can help put you on the fast track to self-love.
