Tune in Tuesday: self-love
I often use the word self-care when talking about self-love, although they aren’t synonyms they do go hand and hand. Self-care is just one of the many ways to show self-love. And why should we show it? There are research and anecdotal reasons why self-love is super important, but I am no expert so I will just give you reasons from my brain(and heart).
Self-love is what opens us up to giving love to others. It’s also how we set ourselves up for success in how we will be treated by others. By diminishing our own light we tell the world it’s okay to treat us “less than” and when we tell the world we are small we will be treated small. How about the opposite then?! Yep, you guessed right. By setting boundaries, using effective communication, and practicing self-love with how we talk to ourselves and how we treat ourselves, we are giving an example of what we will tolerate and what we deserve.
As they say, we can’t pour from an empty cup. This means if we are depleted and have not given ourselves forgiveness, self-compassion, and above all making ourselves a priority we aren’t able to show up for others. Be it our community, family, friends, jobs, etc.
Self-love is not selfish. Self-love doesn’t need to be expensive or include spa days(although those don’t hurt), self-love doesn’t mean we don’t tend to our responsibilities as humans, adults, and members of society.
Tips, tools, and techniques to practice self-love:
read the book I Love Me More, by Jenna Banks
choose a hobby that lights you up and challenges you
set up healthy boundaries for work and personal time, and with friends
get as much movement as possible, especially outside
when you say no, mean it, and stick to it
take yourself on a date
never wait for anyone else to put you first, do it yourself and then see the trickle effect
