I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
One of the biggest questions I receive is this:
how do I practice self-love?
If you are new and a bit lost, I recommend you start here.
What is self-love?
Self-love is both mindset and self-care. The mindset part involves how you talk to yourself. How you think of yourself. It is all the background noise in your mind that you don’t realize. And a lot of it is probably mean.
So here, we are going to focus on self-care, because I think that is easier to get a grip around than mindset. It is easier to “do” things than try fixing your mindset – as a BEGINNER. However, mindset work is always more effective, so if you can, I’d recommend in investing in a coach who can help you work through your mindset.
But as you start doing some of the times in this list of easy ways to practice self-love, you will find that you feel more loving towards yourself, and that you are more content (the good, inner warm glowy feelings).
Don’t have time right now? Save it for later!
6 Ways to Practice Self-Love for Beginners
6. Create a Morning Routine
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to create a morning routine. Believe it or not, waking up and checking your phone first thing in the morning isn’t good for your mental health (note: everyone has mental health, just like physical. It doesn’t mean you have a disorder/illness).
Waking up to your phone instantly creates feelings of stress and anxiety. And why wouldn’t it? If you wake up and have to REACT to others’ texts, posts, demands, and messages, you don’t even give your mind a chance to be present.
How you set up your morning can set you up for success or failure–your choice. But you can show yourself immense love by creating an indulgent ritual that makes you feel energized, alive, balanced, and excited for the day.
Some things you can include are: mindfully drinking your favorite beverage (tea or coffee), journaling (MY go-to!), listening to an inspiring podcast, meditating, going for a walk, exercising, doing yoga, reading a book, or doing something you love but don’t find time for (photography, painting, knitting, dancing, singing, or whatever else :D)
5. Begin Journal
If you know me, (are you on my email list or instagram! Babe let’s be friends already!), you would know I LOVE journaling.
The best thing about journaling is that it is extremely flexible – you can write what you are thankful for, you can do morning pages (a free-flow session for about 3 pages), you can dissect how you are feeling, you can script your ideal life… the list goes on.
If you are struggling with starting a journal practice, read what to journal about.
Journaling gets you in a state of flow and brings you in tune with yourself. How can you love yourself if you aren’t aware of how you feel or what thoughts are running in your mind?
I really recommend writing, pen to paper, but you can always journal on your computer too (I used to do this earlier, so don’t think it’s ‘worse’).
If you are ready to indulge, this leather journal will give you all the luxurious self-love feels!
4. Say Affirmations
Affirmations are a good segue into the mindset work that comes with self-love because it is something that you can “do” that will affect your mindset.
Listen to some loving affirmations, or read them out loud to yourself. Affirmations like this will help you get used to the idea of loving yourself.
Click here to download a printable list of 20 self-love affirmations for you to say everyday and rewire your neuropathways!
3. Be Present
If you are anything like me, you are high-achieving. You want to do everything, get everything done, and be the best at everything. That is a lot of everything’s.
You want to DO DO DO.
But darling, you aren’t a human DOING are you?
In our fast-paced lives, where if we have 5 minutes to spare, we will pick up the phone to check messages or emails or engage on social media, we are losing ourselves.
I included myself there, because right now, today, even I realized that I am not being fully present.
So I challenge you to carve out time when you are FULLY, 100% present in the moment. Maybe that is while eating. Are you on your phone or watching TV? What if you just savor every bit?
Are you working, but also watching TV at the same time?
Are you watching a movie but scrolling through Instagram at the same time?
Or maybe you are having coffee with your friends, but both of you are on your phone.
What if, for a few minutes each day, you sat, doing nothing, not even listening to music, and just observed. Just sat fully, 100% present.
2. Notice the Small Things
I love this one 🙂 It’s related to the previous point, too, because you have to be present to notice the small things. But look at the beautiful clouds in the sky today! Glance at the intricate patterns on a leaf. Put on music and close your eyes and enjoy it.
Maybe while walking around, you see a cute sign outside a cafe. Notice it! Maybe you see a cute old man walking his dog.
Maybe you notice the sun’s rays lending a beautiful golden glow to a pretty, autumn tree. There is so much to notice and appreciate, if you pause and look around.
As you see the beauty in daily life and the seemingly ‘mundane’ moments, your life will become so much more beautiful and rich! And that warm, loving feeling will extend towards yourself, too.
1. Start a Gratitude Practice
These points seem to lead into each other, unintentionally.
As you notice the small things, say a little ‘thank you’ for them.
Or, you can create a more rigid gratitude practice. Perhaps create a night ritual to say 3 things you are grateful for before you go to sleep.
But how does gratitude play a role in self-love?
Being grateful can do wonders for you:
- reduces depression
- boosts mental wellbeing
- improves self-esteem
- improves physical health
- better relationships
- better sleep
- increases productivity
- counters hedonic adaptation (the process getting used to the good stuff)
- shifts your focus and creates a better reality (yeah, it can, and I’m not even that woo-woo. If you want to know why that works, read the transformative power of gratitude)
- makes you feel HAPPY (you need to wait to be happy! It is a state, so that means you can be in that state immediately!)
Get the author’s 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity for free on Audible!
Conclusion
I hope this helps you, and that you can learn to practice self-love!
As you pick up some items from this list and begin to implement them, you will notice an improvement in your mental wellbeing and sense of self-worth, contentment, and quality of life.
I’d love to know what you will be trying out first!
Pin for later! 🙂
Great tips! I think self-love is so important and mindset too! I often write about mindset on my blog but less on the self-care part so it’s good to read this! I definitely love the gratitude journal and your point about noticing the small things, thank you.
I think they are both so important! Thanks for stopping by!
I sincerely love these tips! I like the point of noticing the small things. So simple, yet so important. Great post!!
Thanks for your sweet feedback!
Love these simple but impactful ways I can add more self love into my life! Thank you!
That makes me so happy 🙂 Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Great self care ideas! I totally agree, especially with practicing gratitude! This year with the pandemic and everything else has been so draining, but practicing gratitude helps keep my spirit up and allows me to remember all the good parts in life still! Love the post!
Yay!!! Gratitude never fails to lift spirits – the key is to FEEL the emotion! thanks for stopping by!
Love this! I recently started a 30 day self-care challenge and now I do yoga every morning before I go to work. What an improvement that has been!
That is amazing! congratulations on taking such an empowering step towards self-care!
More people definitely have to visit this and read your post. So very true about the importance of self-love.
Thanks for that sweet comment! Glad you found this valuable!
wow! this is a great post with valuable information.
I seriously believe that practicing gratitude has a significant impact on a person’s love for him/herself.
thanks for sharing this wonderful post.
Thank you for your kind feedback!
I really love all of these tips! My favorite is to notice the small things and expressing gratitude. What is so important and they kind of go hand-in-hand. I’m now learning how to take care of myself and practice self-love and the first thing that I started it was expressing gratitude for the things I have
I’m so glad! I absolutely agree with how the two go together. In my journey as well, I noticed that one led to another 🙂
Pingback: How To Create Your Dream Life For 2021 | WeWearWellness