Celebrating Self-Love
January is self-love month. It’s a great time of the year to ground yourself in self-love and set yourself up for success and happiness.
Self-love is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from the actions that support our physical and mental growth. It occurs when you have a high regard for your own well-being and happiness. When you practice self-care, you take care of your own needs and don’t sacrifice your well-being to please others.
Self-love can look different in everyone because we all take care of ourselves in different ways. It’s important to figure out what self-love looks like for you.
Take note of the kind of thoughts you’re having about yourself or your body. Are they more critical than kind?
Are you someone who is constantly concerned about what others think of you, or you’re always feeling like you’re not enough?
If you’re not taking care of your body and mind, such as not sleeping enough, not exercising enough, skipping meals, or feeling constantly stressed, you may need to start practicing more self-love.
Each time your critical inner voice chimes in with a negative thought, can you counter with something positive? For example, if you’re looking in the mirror and over-analyzing a certain part of your body, try taking a step back and zooming out. Think about how your body brings you joy by allowing you do to all the things you love.
If you need to take it a step further, try this mindfulness exercise:
Sit or lie down in a quiet room in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Take big inhales and exhales. Inhale for 5 seconds, exhale for 7.
When you’re feeling relaxed, begin your body scan. Start with your toes and your feet. Think about what you like about your feet. Do they take you everywhere you want to go? Keep you balanced? Keep you grounded?
Move to your legs. Why are you thankful for them? Do they let you dance or run or hike? Do they allow you to get from the start of your journey to the end? Are they strong?
Keep breathing. In and out. Move to your stomach. What do you like about your stomach? Does it help you eat all the different kinds of food you enjoy? Is your core strong?
Now move to your arms. How do your arms help you? Do they embrace your loved ones? Do they hold your pets?
End with thinking about your head. Think about your face. What do you like about your face? Does it help you be recognized by loved ones? Does your nose detect smells you love? Do your eyes help you see the world clearly? Think about your brain. Think about how hard your brain is constantly working. It holds all the memories of your past and plans for your future. It is the part of you your friends, family and significant others love.
End with thanking your body. Start wiggling your fingers and toes. Let go of your deep breathing. Get up and keep that feeling of gratitude with you throughout the day.
Mindfulness exercises may feel silly when you’re doing them, but there’s power in our thoughts. There’s power in practicing gratitude. Being mindful improves our physical and mental health.
If you want to explore more mindfulness exercises or body scans, check our Kristin Neff’s website. According to her site, Kristin is a pioneer in the study of self-compassion, being the first one to operationally define and measure the construct almost twenty years ago. She has been recognized as one of the world's most influential research psychologists.
If you or a loved one needs more support in learning how to practice self-love, please reach out to us. Our team of therapists is here to provide support and guidance. We look forward to connecting with you.
