Mental health thrives on self Love. And although I’m great at hating myself, I do recognize that loving myself is the only way to be truly happy. And it helps with the whole no-f*cks-to-give thing from the last blog post. So here are some great ways to help you practice self-love, even when you feel like you’re your worst self. Haha, you’re your. See what I did there?
Mental health thrives on self love.
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- Let go of bad relationships. These could be friends, lovers, whoever. Sometimes you don’t even know these people are toxic for you until there’s a huge inciting incident. But once that happens, do yourself a favor and let them go. The faster, the better. Allow only people who truly contribute to your life (and to whom you contribute) to stay in it.
- Practice positive self talk. It’s so much easier to look at yourself in the mirror and say, “Ugh, I’m fat,” or “Look at that zit, I’m disgusting,” or “Is that another wrinkle?” However. Experts pretty much universally agree that by being kind to yourself, you achieve a more positive outlook on life. So give yourself a break. Remember, we are all our own worst critics, but look at yourself like you would a friend who is tearing themselves down. What would you say to them? Now say it to yourself.
Remember, we are all our own worst critics, but look at yourself like you would a friend who is tearing themselves down. What would you say to them? Now say it to yourself.
Click To Tweet - Declutter your space. Looking around a clean, organized room goes a long way in helping your mood. At least, it does mine. Say it with me: It Is Okay To Throw Things Away. Sometimes I feel like queen of the hoarders, but am I really ever going to need that sweater with the rip in the sleeve? Do a purge of the crap you don’t need. And same with online. Clean out your inbox. Clean up your Instagram. Unfollow people that make you feel negative emotions, whether it’s dislike or jealousy or too much comparison. You will feel so much better.
- Get lots of rest. Whatever that means for you. If you need 5 hours, get at least that. Me, I need about 9 hours to feel fully rested. And try to get up early and establish a morning routine before you head off to work. Meditate. Work out. Do yoga. Have coffee and take 5 minutes for yourself. And no cookies for breakfast! Well, maybe sometimes.
- Pamper yourself. Have a spa day. If you can’t afford a day at the spa, have one at home. Give yourself a facial. Watch trashy TV. Eat candy. Take it easy on yourself.
- Do a gratitude exercise. Appreciate the little things in your life like a good book, a great meal, the fact that you have enough. Focus on what you have, not what you want, for just a little while.
Focus on what you have, not what you want, for just a little while.
Click To Tweet - Get out. Outside. Take a walk. Breathe fresh air. Get some Vitamin D (but wear your sunscreen!) I live in a congested area, so if I can get away to a hiking trail, it really helps to get away from the city noise. There are some really cool meditation podcast episodes for walking meditations out there, but if that’s not your thing, just enjoy the quiet.
- Get away. You don’t have to go on a full fledged vacation to take a break. Find somewhere near you that you’ve always wanted to check out and go there. I just took a weekend getaway to Mammoth Lakes, and even though I was only gone for around 2 days, it felt wonderful.
- Practice self-forgiveness. I know, it’s easier to beat yourself up when something goes wrong. But it will do wonders for your psyche if you breathe, embrace the mistake, and let it go.
- Watch the sunset. Or the sunrise, if you’re a morning person. It’s amazing and so beautiful and serene.
- Stop comparing yourself. To what you want to be, to what you feel like you should be, to other people. Embrace who you are right now and focus on what’s good about you.
- Take a time out from technology. Put your phone away. Close your laptop. Turn off the TV. Set aside some time that doesn’t involve being so connected. While it’s great what technology has done for us, sometimes scrolling through Instagram can make you feel worse rather than better.
- Get your heart pumping. Exercise will make you feel amazing. Even if it’s only 10 minutes here and there. Go for a walk. Do some squats. Just get your heart pumping and your endorphins flowing. Your brain and body will thank you.
- Hydrate. I know lots of people that hate water. Me? I love it. But I wasn’t always that way. I had to kind of train myself to like it. Now I think I teeter dangerously on drinking too much, but it definitely makes me feel good.
- Try. Something new. A new restaurant. Roller blading. Getting a manicure. And if you’re afraid? More of a reason to try it!
Remember, nothing amazing happens inside your comfort zone.
Click To Tweet - Meditate. Real talk? For a long time, I thought meditation was bullshit. Then I started trying it. And I’m addicted. If it seems intimidating, start slow and try some guided meditation. Even one minute a day focusing on your breathing is a start!
- Do what you love. Look, it’s not realistic to expect every moment of your life to be rainbows and sunshine. Sometimes, we get stuck in jobs we hate because, you know, life. But find what you love and make time for it.
- Keep a journal. Write down your feelings and thoughts at the end of the day. Get everything out on paper so that it’s not cooped up inside you. And don’t feel pressure – if you don’t have anything to say, you don’t have to write! It’s your thing.
- Eat good food. I feel like the universe keeps trying to lead me back to no cookies for breakfast. *sigh* But really, make your meals as colorful as you can. Lots of greens, lots of veggies and natural foods. Stay away from GMOs.
- Get a massage: I have a whole post on the benefits of massage. They can be incredible for so many reasons. So save up a little and pamper yourself one day.
- Make yourself happy. And no one else.
Be someone's shot of whiskey instead of everyone's cup of tea.
Click To Tweet - Chase your dreams. Don’t give up. I just had a really insightful conversation with my husband about this. I was feeling like a failure, having a bad day, feeling like I’m never going to get to where I want to go. I told him that some people don’t get to live their dreams; some people get stuck in a 9-5 that they hate and just go every day until they die. He pointed out that those are often the people that stop trying. That sometimes you have to fail 1,000 times before you succeed once. Sure, success comes easily to some people; but those people also showed up. So show up, do what you do, and keep failing until you succeed.
Sometimes you have to fail 1,000 times before you succeed once
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The more of these you can incorporate into everyday life, the happier and more content you will feel. And the most important? “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” – Dr. Seuss.
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” – Dr. Seuss
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