5 Ways to Fall in Love with Yourself
Ah, Valentine's Day. It's the universal day of romance and love based on Saint whose story we're not really even sure we know...For all the single ladies (and guys) out there, however, this time of year can feel like a big magnifying glass is being held up to the fact that you're a bachelor/-ette. It can get a little lonely.Here's what I'd like to propose to you: fall in love with yourself. The more you love, honor and value who you are, the better you'll attract someone who will do the same (if that's what you're after).Today, loneliness has no place. You are enough just as you are. Here are five ways to declare your undying love for you this week...
1. Focus on your beauty
Something I'll have members of Intentional Eating do when they start the self-love portion of the program is to say out loud one thing they love about themselves on coaching calls. It feels ridiculous to most of us at first because we spend so much time criticizing ourselves, denying ourselves, hating ourselves.To recognize that you love something about yourself is a revolution, and you deserve to revolt against anything that tells you that you are not drop-dead gorgeous... even if that's your own thoughts!Try it for yourself: every morning as soon as you wake up, sit up in bed and take a few deep breaths with your eyes closed. Then, bring to mind something you LOVE about yourself, and allow yourself to revel in it for a couple minutes. It might feel weird or shameful at first, but with practice, your heart will open and so will your mind.
2. Get the jeans
Rewarding yourself for just being alive is something we should all do on a regular basis. Life itself is a celebration! It's a one-time event that allows you to be whoever you want, and to create an experience that no one else will ever have!You're breathing, and that means you've made it here another day. Time to reward yourself for that.Buy that meal that's a little on the expensive side. Get a massage, even if it's for 30 minutes! That pair of jeans that makes your butt look like WHOA? Get them. You'll wear them and feel good about who you are, and that's worth money you'll never remember that you spent.
3. Keep a gratitude journal
Loving you means loving your life, and there's nothing that helps me root myself back into love and happiness like expressing gratitude for what I have.It's a super-easy practice and it takes fewer than 5 minutes every day. Just write 3 things that you're thankful for and why. That's it!They can be small or huge, as long as they're true. Try to make them different every day if you can, but if you can't, go ahead and repeat them. The goal is to bring to mind how blessed you are in spite of struggle.
4. Refuse to hold space for crappy relationships
The people who smother your light deserve no place in your life. So take it back from them.Simply refuse to give away any of your energy to people who make you feel small or unworthy. What that means is that any time you spend angry, hurt, rejected, longing or lonely because of this person is energy wasted. (Can you tell I've been there?) You deserve more than that, and sometimes "more" means the absence of that relationship.For more details on cutting out negative relationships, read SIO's most popular post here.
5. Play invincible
If you're anything like me, you have the tendency to second guess yourself. The things you do, the things you say, anything that could be taken the wrong way is a candidate for scrupulous inspection.When I become aware of this old habit of mine, I take a deep breath and play a little game with myself that I learned from an old acting teacher. If I'm afraid I did or said something wrong, I'll tell myself: "You can't fail."Though I know that this isn't entirely true, playing like I am invincible helps me commit to what I say and do, which boosts confidence. Even when I'm not playing this game with myself, I'll use a shade of it in every bold action or opinion I express.The truth of this is that as long as what I say is in alignment with my values and what's important to me, I really can't do anything wrong. Other people might not like it, but that doesn't mean I have to feel bad about it.Courageous, extraordinary lives require consistent bold actions. We better fall in love with taking them: whether they gain thunderous applause or fall completely flat. No matter what, we grow from them.*****Falling in love with yourself takes time, space, openness and effort if you're not used to it. But let me tell you: it's worth all of it.To love yourself is to realize that you are worth loving, which in itself opens you up to receiving love from others. You are worthy, good, beautiful, valuable and important. The sooner you realize that, the sooner the world can truly benefit from all those sappy love vibes locked up in you. Don't keep them to yourself; spread the love!Stay strong,Amy