10 Secrets To Finding And Expressing Your Self-love

Self-care is not an unfamiliar concept if you are aiming for a happy and healthy life. It sounds easy, but it’s also a little difficult at the same time. Caring for yourself comes when you also like and love yourself. Yet self-loathing, and insecurities still creep up now and then. Why does it do that?

Well, the journey to loving and caring for yourself is not always a pleasant trip, but there are many ways to take pleasure in it! Just because the ride may not be enjoyable, it doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to make it fun. Here are some simple and easy steps to help you enjoy your journey toward becoming a healthy, happy, and better person.

SEE ALSO: Buddha’s 6 Rules Of Love

1) Wake up early and wake up with a smile

You know there’s a popular saying that the early bird catches the worm. Start your AM the right way! Waking up early and welcoming the morning with a smile on your face has positive effects that can echo throughout the day. In fact, according to a study conducted by a biology professor – people who wake up early and welcome the day with a positive attitude are more likable because they treat people better and they perform well at work as well.

2) Disconnect from social media

Social media has penetrated our lives — it’s already a massive part of our daily routine. It can take up so much of your time, scrolling up and down your feed or even checking on people we shouldn’t be checking on. Social media lingo has now been so deeply embedded in our speech that if we listen, we may hear ourselves utter the words “upload my picture, tag me in it, like my post, share it” every day.

Hence, I opt to unplug and deactivate from all platforms from time to time. Disconnecting from social media does not mean you are detaching from everyone else. It only means you are choosing to be more connected to the people who are around you, beside you, and this can also help in strengthening your bond with your family and friends. It’ll also aid in improving your intimacy with your lover/spouse.

3) Stay hydrated! Drink more water

It is a known fact that our bodies are made up of over 70% water. Staying hydrated is essential because it helps us refresh our brain and other nervous system functions. When we get dehydrated even just as little as 1%, it can affect your memory, language, and reasoning. Drinking water every day can also help in flushing out toxins in your body. So drink water all day, every day!

4) Always be grateful

Being grateful even about the little things is an important virtue to practice daily. Slowing down and taking our time to remember all the beautiful things and blessings within our lives can emit positive energy to everyone around us. Whether it’s someone opening the door for you, your spouse doing your laundry for you or your sibling making you breakfast, don’t hesitate to show them your appreciation. Tell them how thankful you are for what they did for you and how grateful you are for having them in your life — it’ll make their day and yours, too.

5) Learn to laugh at yourself

Laughter is the best medicine, of course. But learning how to laugh at yourself when you make a mistake instead of being angry exhibits a healthy mental and emotional disposition. If you fell from your chair or you accidentally farted in front of everyone, don’t be frustrated or angered. It may be embarrassing, but you won’t give humiliation power over you if you laugh at it and yourself. Give yourself a break, take it easy, and live light!

6) Forgive and forget

Holding grudges isn’t healthy for the heart or the soul. In our life, we will cross paths with people who will take advantage of us or even walk all over us. Getting frustrated, hurt, or angry is a normal reaction, but it’s better to let go, forgive and forget even if they do not deserve it. Sometimes we will never get the apology that we deserve, but we should forgive anyway. We forgive not because we’re weak, we forgive because we’re strong and we are more important than any negative thought or emotion. Negativity can cost us our peace and anything that costs us our peace is expensive and unworthy.

So forgive and forget because we can’t expect decency from cheap people. Plus, we deserve to live a peaceful life.

7) Keep a journal

Sometimes we are too shy to open up to anyone, or we don’t want to burden our loved ones with our problems. Keeping a journal to write down your secrets, your hopes, your dreams, and aspirations can give you clarity. In your journal, you can release your emotions and take some load off of yourself. If you have any burden that you are unconsciously putting on yourself mentally and emotionally, write it on your journal.

Don’t keep it all to yourself; don’t bottle it up. If you don’t feel like talking, release all of it through your journal.

8) Never settle for anything less than positive

Be kind to yourself. Be kind enough to know that you should not settle for anything less than you deserve. If something has been bothering you and your well-being, it would be best to eliminate it from your life. We only have one life to live and stop allowing other people’s negativity to drain our lives, and energy is not worth it. To be a healthier and happier person, stay away from anything that no longer serves you or whatever doesn’t bring you joy.

9) Welcome change

Don’t be afraid of change. When you encounter a change in your life, that’s a good thing because it means you are growing and evolving. You are entering a new phase or chapter in your life that can lead you to become a better person. Change can be daunting, but it can also be fun. And for every level we overcome in life, it will require a different version of us. So don’t be scared of change, be scared of staying the same.

10) Don’t be afraid to go after what you want

Sometimes we’d rather stay in one place and daydream about the things that we want because we are too afraid to go after it. We are too scared to fail! Well, we shouldn’t be afraid of failure and rejection. We shouldn’t be scared to take risks and go after anything that we want in life because if we don’t get it, it doesn’t mean we aren’t good enough. It only means that we need to try harder to achieve our dream.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in this life, it’s that rejection doesn’t mean we failed, it only means we need to be flexible with our methods without taking our eyes off the prize. True failure happens when we stop going after the things that we’ve always wanted in life because we’re afraid of a little rejection. NO! Overcome your fears of rejection. Take risks, be persistent, and work hard! Your goal won’t go anywhere, and you will achieve it if you don’t stop. Don’t. Ever. Stop. Chasing. It.