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Self-love is appreciating yourself based on actions that support mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical growth. Self-love is taking care of oneself and setting a high standard for ones' well-being. It's not pulling things off to please others or settling for less. Self-love helps you learn your self-worth. "Self-worth is recognizing 'I am greater than all of those things.' It is to have profound knowledge of the value you hold—knowing that you are loveable, that you are essential to this life, of significant value, and that there is only one you. Self-worth and self-love are continuous habits that can be implemented into ones' life differently for each person.
We are all different, unique, and handle things differently to take care of ourselves. It takes time and patience when figure out what self-love means to you, and it is crucial to figure out your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. There are several ways to practice self-love; here are five ways to help you start loving yourself a little more and learning who you are.
Stop comparing yourself to others. As I've said before, we are all different and may process things differently than someone else would. The way you view the world may be different from how another person views the world; we were made extraordinary by the Creator. If we were all made the same, the world would be pretty dull.
Another way to practice self-love is; to stop stressing or worrying about what others think of you! You can not make everyone happy, and you'll find yourself feeling miserable trying to do so. I had to learn this myself. I was losing myself trying to keep up with others and what they wanted versus what I wanted. They'll be happy, but you won't be, and you'll find yourself being pretty tired and unaccomplished. In my opinion, it is a waste of time and will only slow you down on your journey to being unapologetically you.
Trust you! Trust your decision-making for yourself. The Bible says in Isaiah 41:10, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." We often doubt ourselves and our ability to do something or do what is right. Trust God through every process as you take this journey to show yourself self-love and be free in being you for you and no else. You are your greatest advocate and friend.
We so often doubt ourselves and our ability to do what’s right, when most of the time we do know in our hearts what’s best. Remember that your feelings are valid. You’re not losing touch with reality. You know yourself better than anyone else, so be your best advocate. Please, hear me, you, DON'T be afraid to let toxic people go about their merry way! It could be family, friends, co-workers, or sisters/brothers in Christ. If someone is ushering in negativity in your life, let them go. It may cause you some pain now, but it will be well worth it for your future. Don't be afraid to let them go. It's important to feel free in your decision-making, and it is important to protect the energy you allow in your space.
It is crucial to allow yourself to make mistakes; we are not perfect! Stop beating yourself up and cut yourself some slack! Making mistakes causes you to learn, get wisdom, grow, and teach someone else. I lived in a bubble, trying to do everything right but failing miserably. I hated when things didn't go as I planned, or I didn't count the cost. I would beat myself up repeatedly. Then I realized that we all make mistakes, and my frame is dust. God loves us even with all our flaws. He asks us to do a thing, and when we fail, He is always right there to pick us up and to tell us “To try again." Embrace your past. "Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance." - Mo'ne Davis
