We always hear the common saying, “you cannot love someone else until you learn to love yourself”. I never really understood this concept until I finally found my person and realized that if I wouldn’t have been right with myself, I would never have been able to give them the effort and attention that they deserve.
But this is not an easy thing to achieve. Some days, we will look at ourselves in the mirror and not like what we see. Or, we will make a mistake and beat ourselves up about it. Nobody is perfect. Everyone “fails” at some point in their lives. But one of the most important things that we need to learn to do is love ourselves, imperfections and all, so that we can better serve ourselves and others around us.
Self-love covers a wide range of needs for a human being. Many of these being mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. This may seem daunting to take on all of these needs at once, but you don’t need to. Start small, create a plan and then carve out time in your day to accomplish the goals you have set for yourself.
Let’s start with mental. Given the current state our world is in, the rate of people suffering from mental health issues has spiked exponentially. Can you imagine if every individual just pushed their mental needs to the side? That would not only start to deteriorate their mental health, but would begin to harm their physical, emotional and spiritual health as well. Some suggestions to help prioritize your mental health are to meditate, journal and spend some alone time participating in a hobby that you enjoy.
The next one on our list is physical. This may seem the most obvious, but it can be the most difficult to maintain. You don’t have to look like a supermodel to prove you are taking care of your physical health, either. Some obvious ways to improve your physical health are consistent rest, exercise and eating better. Everyone’s body looks different, but if you stay consistent with getting your body moving and feeding it healthy foods, your body will thank you later.
Next, is your emotional health. Mental and emotional health go hand-in-hand most of the time, but emotional health does need some additional caretaking in order to be healthy and stable. Some ways to combat low emotional health are to recognize your feelings when they happen, manage stress and strengthen your social network.
Finally, I will talk about spiritual health. This does not have to mean believing in God, even though for many it does. Whatever your beliefs are, make sure to prioritize them. I am guilty of letting this part of my life go sometimes when things get hectic. But I have noticed that when I am not connected to God, the other aspects of my life start to deteriorate. Knowing that you have a sense of greater good can make extremely challenging situations much easier to bear.
Out of the four aspects of self-love that I listed in this article, which ones are you lacking? Which ones are pretty solid? Take some time to reflect on what your body, mind and spirit need from you. I promise you, it will make all the difference.