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Having self-love involves having an appreciation and respect for yourself.
That includes taking care of your physical and mental health.
What Is Self-Love?
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Self-love is having regard for our own well-being and contentment according to the American Psychological Association.
What Self-Love Is Not
Some critics think self-love is a modern concept and is merely self-indulgence.
They view self-love as excessively focusing on yourself and akin tonarcissism.
But self-love is not about having a grandiose sense of self or being puffed up with self-importance.
Self-love means taking care of your needs and recognizing that you have value.
As we deepen in love for ourselves, we can deepen the love we share with others.
How to Practice Self-Love
Sometimes its hard to assert yourself and think about your own needs.
Heres how to incorporate self-love into your lifestyle.
That means choosing healthy foods and getting adequate sleep every night.
Remember to give yourself time to take care of and value yourself.
Struggling with mental health issues might require visiting a therapist, choosingonline therapy, or turningto an app.
Findings showed that the three components do mutually enhance each other.
More often than not, they diminish us by causing stress, anxiety, guilt, and shame.
Social mediahas affected our mental health in not-so-great ways.
Set Boundaries
Drawing the linehelps with stress management.
Recognize your needs and carve out time to be thoughtful about yourself by setting boundaries.
Forgive Yourself
Cultivate ways tostop self-loathingin any form.Forgive yourselffor your past mistakes and find ways to heal.
To incorporate self-love in your daily life, dont ruminate over mistakes and regrets.
Rather than blame yourself for things that were probably out of your control anyway, turn to self-forgiveness.
A recent studyfinds that greater forgiveness is linked to less stress and a decrease in mental health symptoms.
Surround Yourself With Supportive, Loving people
Having social support is vital.
Let go of toxic, draining, and one-way friendships.
If you think youre in lovebut arent sure, remember that healthy relationships involve intimacy and deep emotional connection.
Change a Negative Mindset
Positive thinkingdoesnt mean ignoring problems.
It means choosing to have a positive outlook as an approach to life that includes gratitude and many possibilities.
Maybe its time to seek support to process your anger andrelease resentment and grudges, for example.
Say kind things to yourself.Positive affirmationscan boost your self-esteem and reduce your social fears.
Remind yourself that youre a kind person doing your best.
APA Dictionary of Psychology.Self-love.
The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.Self-love and what it means.
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Self-Compassion: Dr. Kristin Neff.Definition of self-compassion.
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