How can you practice self-love every day?
- Stop striving for perfection
- Let go of toxic relationships
- Learn to be okay with negative feelings
- Never forget to care for your body
Self-love, according to psychology, is a deliberate appreciation of who you are by doing actions that support your personal growth. It means you allow yourself to:
- Applaud your strengths
- Accept your weaknesses
- Look for situations and people that make life better
- Find purpose in what you do
Whether you are a fresh graduate in search of your first job or a high-level executive under one of the most powerful companies in the Philippines, personal development means making the choice and committing to love yourself every day in a healthy manner. Instead of letting the expectations of the world and people dictate your worth, you should prioritize what you think of yourself.
If you want to know how to practice self-love, these are the ways you can go about it:
Stop striving for perfection
Many people wrongly assume that “perfect” is the only acceptable standard for everything we do. Because they stress overreaching this ideal, they end up not finishing anything, and sometimes, even failing. Additionally, many of them believe that reaching excellence will automatically remove any negative experiences from their lives. Yet, this is so untrue. Life will always be unpredictable and full of new problems to deal with.
It can be easy for you to think that doing everything perfectly in your profession will make you truly happy. It will not. In fact, striving for perfection can quickly turn into an addiction that will harm your well-being in the long run. It is unhealthy to think that your worth is based solely on your career achievements.
How can you let go of being “perfect”? Simple, cut yourself some slack and be self-compassionate. It is okay to make mistake ones in a while. Additionally, accepting that you can be wrong at times is a good sign of personality development. In the Philippines, more and more companies are leaning towards the inherent growth capacity of their employees and prioritizing their overall well-being.
Let go of toxic relationships
The topic of toxic relationships has always been a popular subject matter. On social media, books, and even public speaking seminars in the Philippines, you see people talking about the negative people in their lives. Why is that? It could be an indication of how impactful our connections are on our self-image.
Positive relationships help us see ourselves in a great light because these people love us for who we are. They prioritize you, they respect your boundaries, they recognize your strengths and build you up at your lowest.
In contrast, being with toxic people lowers our self-esteem. Maybe, your opinions are never listened to or they choose to bombard you with needless criticism. Most of all, you feel like you can’t be yourself around these people. By deciding to stick with them, you slowly start to only see your flaws and forget your inner value. On the other hand, letting go of toxic relationships shows you respect yourself enough to leave unhealthy situations.
Learn to be okay with negative feelings
Your negative feelings have something to say to you, and therefore it is only fitting that you learn to be okay with them. They could be telling you that a person is bad for you. Moreover, they could be telling you that a situation or place will become harder if you stay any longer. Negative emotions are short-term hurdles you have to get over properly before you achieve long-term joy. Thus, avoiding them now will mean long-term pain in the future.
You can learn to be okay with negative feelings by doing these four things; breath, accept, ask, observe. When you are about to cry or scream, take a deep breath to clear your head and remove the harmful tension from your body. Next, close your eyes and label the emotion in your head. By doing this, you are accepting it.
Afterward, ask yourself why you are experiencing these painful things. Usually, emotions could be reactions to certain moments or signs of unmet needs. Lastly, observe the world around you and find the positivity in it. You may be feeling discomfort now, but there will be experiences and people to look forward to.
Never forget to care for your body
When you care for your body by attending to its physical needs, you are also caring for your emotional needs as well. As you know, the body is connected with the mind. By not sleeping or eating enough, you stress your mind because it lacks the energy to function. Because of this reality, it is common to see your co-workers anxious whenever their work doesn’t allow them to get food or rest at home. This experience is the same for people who don’t take time to exercise.
By caring for your physical state, you are loving yourself by removing worries that tire you, and in turn, increase your self-confidence.
Key Takeaway
To become the best version of yourself, it can be helpful to love who you already are. We live in a world that demands us to fulfill certain expectations. Yet, it is impossible to excel in all of those because we are human and make mistakes. So you do not get swept away by the negativity of society, you can choose to practice these self-love tips every day.