Today, Decide to Choose You

Generally, daily we easily get caught up in our relationships with other people. This can be romantic, platonic, family, or professional relationships that we constantly consider. Because of this, we tend to neglect the most important relationship of them all… the ones we have with ourselves. Loving yourself is the practice of choosing and accepting yourself without exception. However, just like every other relationship, you have to intentionally pursue a healthy relationship with yourself for it to work in full effect. The definition of “self-love” is a regard for one’s well-being and happiness. Self-love is a multifaceted and significant topic that can look different for everyone. You may just be starting your self-love journey or are deciding to strengthen it, but these are some of the most common and best practices to master.
Understanding what self-love looks like to you is probably one of the most important skills to grasp. In life, we show love and affection to people differently. For example, I love my parents in one way and my friends in a whole other. So you can not let the way you love others be a guide to how you love yourself. It is also important to differentiate loving yourself from selfishness and narcissism. Self-love is about understanding your emotions, validating your feelings, and acknowledging your physical and mental needs.
Self-talk is the root of our self-esteem, so start practicing healthy and positive conversations with yourself. It is so important to foster empowering inner dialogue with yourself daily. This can vary from saying a positive mantra in the mirror, journaling or writing to yourself, or just small comments like “good job” and “you got this” throughout the day. It is human to have negative thoughts or opinions surrounding yourself, however, it is up to you to decide how you communicate with yourself in those situations. If you look in the mirror and dislike five things you see, then find five things you do like and verbally tell yourself. While at first, it may seem dumb or ineffective there are lasting impacts to positive self-talk.
Setting healthy boundaries for yourself is something that 90% of the world struggles with. Setting boundaries is crucial to your self-love journey because it protects your well-being and peace of mind. The ability to say “no” without guilt is a task only a few have mastered. This two-letter word holds so much power and it’s okay to use it. When your plate is full and someone asks you to do something… say no and say it with no further explanation. You know your limit so when your cup is getting full pull it away before it reaches the top and overflows.
Self-love falls into self-respect, self-confidence, self-care, etc., and despite what you may or may not believe those things radiate off you. With that in mind, remember this quote from Rupi Kaur that says “How you love yourself is how you teach others how to love you”.