5 Ways to Self-Love

Self-love generally refers to appreciating yourself and treating yourself with kindness, both in thought and in action. Over time, practicing actions that promote self-love can help both your physical and psychological well-being. Practicing self-love can improve your self-esteem, make you aware of your strengths and allow you to be more accepting of your weaknesses.

Here are a few ways you can practice self-love for good mental health.

1. Practice self-care.

Learning a new healthy habit or routine is one way to practice self-love.  Such as proper nutrition, getting enough sleep, brushing your teeth, taking a shower, wearing clean clothes each day, might sound simple but can be tough to do when you struggle with depression or anxiety or another form of mental illness. 

2. Focus on your needs, not your wants.

Practicing self-love means choosing to focus on your goals and moving to a healthier happier life.  This can be especially true for people struggling with addiction.  Putting needs, like choosing recovery and working towards sobriety – before your wants. 

3. Set healthy boundaries.

Allow yourself to say no to things that wear you down, or harm you physically or emotionally.  Apply this to work, personal, relationships, recreational activities.  Surround yourself with a healthy support system, people who respect your boundaries and keep you accountable. Protecting yourself from people who do not wish you well is essential to self-love.  Counseling can assist with establishing boundaries and supporting through this transition.  

4. Forgive others.

Easier said than done… Practicing forgiveness can take time, especially if you don’t feel ready to let go of past hurts.  At times this can hurt us more.  Counseling can help you learn to forgive and teach coping skills to let go of trauma or hurt from your past.  Practicing forgiveness can facilitate healing and ultimately allow you to develop a sense of self-love.

5. Forgive yourself.

Just like practicing self-care, forgiving ourselves can take a back seat when we feel low or stressed. We might forget that we need to forgive ourselves just as much as we need to forgive others. Remember, in life, no one is perfect and it’s normal to make mistakes when we are growing or learning. That is just a part of being human. Forgiving yourself can be difficult but not impossible, and it is something that you can learn to do through counseling.

As with all habits, practice makes perfect and self-love is something worth practicing for good mental health. If you struggle with mental illness, practicing self-love can be difficult. Through counseling, we can help you change your life for the better.

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