Welcome to 2023, the year of self-love and care! In a world that has taken us through some tumultuous times, it's time to prioritize ourselves and our well-being. If you're feeling lost or overwhelmed about how to start your journey towards self-love, we've got you covered.
In celebration of 2023's International Women's Day, Rung Rung would like to dedicate a little article to write about self-love to hopefully remind all the women out there to treat themselves just a little more gently.
This blog post will guide you through some of the most intuitive ways to practice self-love. From small daily habits to larger lifestyle changes, these tips will help you cultivate a healthy relationship with yourself and embrace all aspects of who you are. So grab a cup of tea and let's dive into this beautiful journey together!
What is self love
Self-love is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It is the foundation of a healthy relationship with yourself and enables you to create healthy relationships with others. And yes, it is a practice just like any other practices - it needs to be done on the daily.
When you love yourself, you take care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally. You make sure to nurture your body, mind, and spirit by eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and spending time in nature. You also allow yourself to feel your emotions fully and express them in a healthy way. And finally, you treat your thoughts with kindness and respect.
Self-love is not selfish. On the contrary, it is essential to our well-being. When we love ourselves, we are able to give more freely to others and create more meaningful connections.
The benefits of self love
When you love yourself, you are more likely to take care of yourself and make healthy choices. When you don’t love yourself, it’s easy to neglect your own needs and end up making unhealthy choices.
Here are just a few wonderful benefits of practicing self-love:
1. improved physical health
2. increased self-esteem and confidence
3. better relationships with others
4. improved mental health
5. increased resilience and ability to cope with stress
How to show up for yourself
If you're anything like us, self-love is something that you have to work at. It doesn't come naturally or easily. We've had to learn how to show up for ourselves and be our own best friend. Here are some of the most intuitive but powerful ways we've found to practice self-love:
1. Make time for yourself: This is probably the most important thing you can do for yourself. If you don't make time for yourself, no one else will. Dedicate some time each day to doing something that makes you happy. Maybe it's reading, taking a long bath, going for a walk, or writing in your journal. Whatever it is, make sure you consistently do it every single day even if it's just 5 minutes.
2. Be honest with yourself: A big part of self-love is being honest with yourself about who you are and what you want out of life. If you're not being honest with yourself, it's impossible to truly love and accept yourself. So take some time to sit down and really think about who you are and what you want from life. Once you know those things, it'll be much easier to start practicing self-love.
3. Get in touch with your feelings. Part of self-love is being attuned to your emotions and honoring them, instead of pushing them away. Allow yourself to feel whatever comes up, without judgment or criticism. This doesn't mean wallowing in negative emotions – just allow yourself to experience them fully and then let them go.
4. Be gentle with yourself. Just as you would with a friend or loved one, treat yourself with kindness and compassion when things don't go as planned or you make a mistake. Imagine there is an inner child deep down inside of you. That child needs time to grow and he/she needs guidance. Forgive yourself, learn from the experience, and move on. Keep moving forward no matter how slow.
5. Prioritize your needs. Make sure you're taking care of your physical and emotional needs by eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep, exercise, and spending time with people who make you feel good about yourself. Those are the main pillars in life that make a fulfilling, happy life.
6. Set boundaries as needed. In order to truly love and respect yourself, you need to know when to say no to others and set boundaries. Don’t be afraid to take time for yourself or to say no to something that doesn't align with your values and beliefs. You are playing the long game. Saying no might feel uncomfortable in the moment but you will thank yourself later.
7. Take on a challenge. Push yourself and take on new challenges — one that scares you but will also bring you growth. You are a big girl, you can take it. It can be anything from taking an online course to trying a new hobby or even starting a business. By taking on challenges, you'll prove to yourself that you can do hard things and grow in the process — which is incredibly powerful.
Conclusion
The journey of self-love is a long and winding road, but it's worth every step. The benefits of practicing self-love are immense, from improved physical and mental health to better relationships with others. By taking action and following the tips outlined in this blog post, you can start cultivating a healthy relationship with yourself today.
Remember that self-love is a practice, so don't expect perfection — instead, just focus on showing up for yourself and treating yourself gently each day. Love yourself unconditionally and be your own best friend. You deserve it!