What does it mean to love yourself? For many people the thought of self-love comes from a variety of cases. When you treat yourself to a bubble bath after a long day, when your face isn’t feeling its best so you put on a facemask, or when you leave a toxic relationship behind—these are instances in which you are ‘loving yourself.’
But if you’ve ever felt discouraged, if you’ve ever had the feeling of not being good enough, you know that loving yourself is more complex than that. It’s hard to love yourself when you have no idea where to begin and can’t seem to find a spot to love.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, it is easy to submerge into nostalgia and start to feel like you’re lacking love, especially if you don’t have a significant other. This is usually why people start to message their ex or look for something to keep their mind busy during that day, perhaps even week. It’s important that instead of looking for a way out, you find the way in.
Learn to be okay being yourself, by yourself. Being single isn’t a bad thing; it’s usually when we reach the most self-discovery. As this cliché day approaches, start to reflect on your life and who you are as an individual. Invest in what makes you happy. Seek what brings you joy. Accept your flaws and build up your virtues.
These are all a lot easier said than done, but if you make it a point to make loving yourself a habit, eventually, you will get there. Do pamper yourself as often as you can, your body will be eternally grateful as your nurture it. Give yourself more time to sleep during the night; you will notice the difference it makes to your ability to function. Enjoy a nice day out on the beach and relax once in a while. The more you do for your body, the better your mindset and attitude will be.
Find what you love and do well at it. If your hobby is to do your makeup, or writing short stories, or designing and building, do it. No one can stop you from accomplishing what you want. Self-love comes from understanding yourself and being okay with all of the qualities that you were given.
It’s easy to give up, but if you’re ever feeling alone, remember that everyone is going or has gone through the same battle. Loving yourself is an every-day decision to choose to see the good and let it outweigh any bad that there may be.
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Desi