Today, on the international day of love we are looking past the grand gestures of flowers and chocolates to something a little more sustainable and, in our opinion, more important…loving ourselves.
Treat Yourself
Book yourself a haircut or massage appointment, or better than that, a full spa day experience if budget and time allows. If not just give yourself a few hours off to make time for something that makes you happy. Read a book, spend all day in your PJs or dress up extra special and take yourself to lunch. Self-care isn’t selfish, its essential. How can we look after others if we aren’t first looking after ourselves?
Accept Praise
How often do you find yourself refusing a compliment? Making excuses as to why you shouldn’t be praised for something you have done or said? Stop it right now!
Instead of turning down compliments try accepting the praise whole-heartedly. You may feel a little uncomfortable to begin with, but compliments are like building blocks for our self-esteem. Being able to take credit where it is due will do wonders for how your feel about yourself. So next time someone praises you on a job well done try saying, “Thank you, I appreciate you noticing,”. It’s your moment, enjoy it.
Avoid Social Media
Living our lives so fully on social media leads to comparison against others and who really wants to live like that. A social media detox never hurts – remember, you shouldn’t feel the need to compare your real life to someone else’s highlight reel.
Get A Journal
Keep a written record of how you feel each day. Record your successes and be sure to look back over them when you are getting down on yourself.
Keeping a diary is something we, as humans, have don’t for centuries – and it is such a wonderful way to keep in touch with our roots while keeping memories safe to share in the future. Plus the actual process of making time to put pen to paper each day is such a relaxing ritual to build into your everyday life.
