I have learned over the years the importance of self-love and how it is vital for us to function are our best. I know for a fact that when I attend to my own needs, I feel better and more willing to attend to the needs of others around me with love and disposition. Like with anything important in your life, these are tools that you need to prioritize. Put them in your calendar, discuss them with your family and commit to a better YOU.
Adequate sleep: not everybody needs the same amount of sleep. That is why you need to figure out what is your magic number. Whatever it is, try to be consistent and get the same number of hours every night. My magic number, 7!
Move your body: the benefits of being active are many. I think my favorite, though, is how it can do wonders for your mental health. It can clear your head, boost your mood, and move your energy, which makes you flow better.
Gratitude: sometimes, it is easy to let the worries take over. They can consume you and rapidly let you into a rabbit hole. Find time to practice gratitude consciously and include it in some of your routines. When you are meditating, exercising, taking a shower, or before going to bed, it can be anything. No matter where you fit it in, life can certainly look better if you make this a habit.
Pamper yourself: take some time every week to take care of your physical body. A face mask before going to bed, a dry brush session on the weekends, or even a foot massage with calming oils. Anything that connects you with serving your body is vital for your self-esteem.
Me time: I think this concept has been used and abused in the sense that it is thrown every way and, in many ways, very lightly. It seems that it is part of a checklist rather than a center of wellbeing and self-care. For me, this special time is not when I am away from my kids for 30 minutes or when I take 10 minutes out of my day to browse Instagram. Me time happens when I make myself available to me, when I take the time to do something that is solely for my growth and enjoyment, when I meet my thoughts and let them roam or when I lay outside under the sun just soaking up its energy with intention, with purpose. So, take this me-time as a date with your real self and give her/him what it really needs at that moment with honesty and love.
Connection: we, as humans, are built to be around others, to share our lives and experiences with the people around us, finding things in common or nothing at all but a simple conversation. Whatever it is we look for, we need to feel connected to a greater purpose than our own existence.
Feel the feelings: this is one of the most important self-love tools, in my opinion, we should all pursue. Let your heart feel what it feels at the moment that it feels it. There is nothing more liberating than a good cry when you feel your heart is about to burst or a good belly laugh that makes your stomach hurt. Be consequent with your feelings and your actions. Embrace the emotion, let it out of your body, understand where it is coming from and what is asking from you, act with compassion and understanding, let it be with you as much as you need it, and be brave enough to let it go and move on.
Be around nature: the world is an amazing place, and nature helps us remember that we are much more than the box we might spend our time in. So go outside, and seek some connection with nature. Do you have a backyard? Take your shoes off and walk barefoot on the grass (grounding). Your energy will thank you. Work close to the ocean? Take 15 minutes of your lunch hour to look at the sea and feel the salty breeze. Do you have a favorite tree? Give her a big hug; it can feel like you are hugging yourself!
Find a creative activity: creativity comes in many ways, so don’t feel like you need to become Picasso or knit a full blanket to be considered a creative person. This should be an activity for you to relax as you allow your conscious thoughts to rest. Do you like visual crafts? Pick up a coloring book and a nice box of color pencils. Are you drawn to writing? Get a journal and take a few minutes in the morning to write what comes first to your mind. You will soon experiment with the wonders that it can do to your mental health.
Have a loving and truthful conversation with the you in the mirror: a lot of the time, when we see our reflection in the mirror, we tend to point out all the flaws we see. Take some time to look at yourself with the love that we see in others. Thank the reflection for who you are and for all the unique things that make you: YOU. You love the way your hair looks that day? Take an extra minute to play with it. You love the way your make up looks? Say it and take a picture for the record. Make sure that what you are saying is sincere and it comes from a place of love.
I hope you connect with one or with all these tools and that they help you work on the relationship with the most important person in your life: YOU.
With much love,
Sofia
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