It seems ridiculous that in 2021, anyone should feel guilty or embarrassed when practicing self love. After all, loving yourself should be the most natural thing in the world.
We appreciate the self-love movement isn’t for everyone. The onslaught of preaching quotes on social media alone would see you forgiven for not wanting to get involved in the ‘smug life’.
But, actually, far from this, the practice of self love is total appreciation for yourself – flaws and all – and holding yourself in the highest regard. It’s nothing less than what you deserve and, ultimately, help you achieve happiness and make the best choices in life.
Here, we highlight six ways in which you can kickstart your self-loving lifestyle – completely free of feelings of guilt, shame or any other negative vibe that counteracts the self-love purpose.
Accept yourself – exactly as you are
Start small because, in actual fact, this is a tough one to crack. Be kind, gentle and complimentary to yourself. We live in a world where criticism from outside sources comes all too frequently and easily, so there’s a lot to be ‘undone’ here. Self love begins with self acceptance and owning your imperfections and idiosyncrasies – everything that makes you, you.
Hone in on self care
It’s important to pay real attention to your basic needs – physically, mentally and emotionally. Really take care of your wellbeing. That’s looking after your diet, making sure you’re exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and enjoying healthy relationships that surround you with positive vibes.
Plan a date night
…with just yourself. It’s not weird nor is it sad. In actual fact, taking yourself out on a monthly date night screams confidence and ownership – and you certainly shouldn’t feel guilty for allowing that quality time with yourself.
A trip to the cinema, out for a meal, a short city break… The options are endless, but the point here is that you’re taking some time for you and spending it doing what makes you feel great.
Self-partnering is pretty fun, hey? You can try something new, dodge work pressures and enjoy your own company – without any need for compromise.
Seduce yourself
It’s high time we became comfortable with taking ‘self love’ literally. Nobody knows your body better than you, and while we’re still working hard to break down barriers where talking about it is concerned, know this: masturbating is totally normal and everyone’s at it!
Masturbation brings all the same health benefits as sex – it’s mood-boosting, improves sleep, reduces stress and anxiety, aids relaxation and increases body confidence and self-esteem.
Whether you have a penis or a vagina, we cannot recommend exploration with sex toys enough (that’s the next solo date night planned in). Perfected your solo time and want to experiment? Check out our seven ways to spice up your masturbation routine.
Enjoy mindful moments
This is recommended in your day-to-day life, as well as during your intimate moments (solo or with a partner). Mindfulness means paying attention to what’s happening in the moment – really being present and wholly aware of what you’re doing and your thoughts, feelings and sensations at that time.
Apply this thinking to your sexual experiences. Mindful sex or masturbation – being totally and completely in the moment – helps you switch off from distractions and makes for even more intense sensations. It’s win win.
Learn to let go
You’ll be basking in self-love success when you learn to let go of your worries, fears and, essentially, any negative feeling that’s preventing you from holding yourself in the highest regard.
Forgive yourself your past mistakes and let go of toxic relationships, for example – remove anything from your life that’s steeped in negative energy. It’s taking up too much of you, emotionally.
The journey to self love can be a long one for some – but it should be an enjoyable one. Importantly, it’s a different journey from one person to the next. Follow our six steps until they simply become routine and you’ll soon find you’re caring about yourself in exactly the same way you would a partner.
