9 Ways to Enhance Self-Love

"If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love somebody else? Can I get an amen up in here?" - RuPaul

If you want to show unconditional love to anyone else, you need to show yourself love first. Self love impacts your health, longevity, self-esteem, self-confidence, and success. It also affects your relationships as well.

In this pandemic it's becoming even more apparent to me...when I'm feeling good about myself I have more patience, affection and kindness toward everyone (especially my husband). When I'm feeling doubtful of my own worth, my performance or my place in the world some how my husband is more annoying and does more things to upset me. LOL Coincidence? Nope.

So here are some great ways to discover greater self-love:

  1. Remember your victories. View yourself in a positive light more often. One of the easiest ways to do this is to remember your triumphs. Maybe you hit a home-run and won the game in 5th grade. Remember your high school graduation day. Think about that time you received a promotion.

    ◦ Most people spend plenty of time remembering their failures. Try doing the opposite for a month and see what happens! Level it up: Write them down.

  2. Volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to boost your self-esteem. Put your attention on someone else. You’ll enjoy the mental break, and your opinion of yourself will get a boost. You’re a good person, so remind yourself of that from time to time.

 ◦ Volunteering can mean making a difference in an organization or it can mean calling a friend you have been out of touch with to see how their doing and if they need any support in this pandemic. These days we could all use some kindness.

  3. Be a good friend. You know how to be a good friend, but there are times that you’re not. Being a good friend makes you feel good about yourself. It will also improve the way your friends view and treat you, too. Everyone wins when you decide to be a good friend. Calling a friend you have been out of touch with to see how their doing and if they need any support in this pandemic. These days we could all use some kindness.

  4. Forgive yourself. You’ve made a few mistakes. Who hasn’t? However, it’s time to forgive yourself. Give yourself a break. You would do the same for someone you care about, so do it for yourself.

  5. Pursue what you need rather than what you want. What you want is rarely what you need. Once you’ve taken care of your needs, you’ll be in a better position to acquire what you want. Satisfying your needs is a prime example of self-love. Start small if you must - a big glass of water, a stretch or some time in nature will do wonders for your physical and mental space.

  6. Get in shape. Take care of your body. When you’re eating poorly and not getting enough exercise, you’re harming yourself. Obviously, this isn’t a good example of self-love. Show yourself that you take your health seriously. You’re loving yourself every time you eat a healthy meal or exercise your body.

  7. Appreciate your uniqueness. We tend to be embarrassed about our qualities, skills, or abilities that are unique. However, the most valuable parts of you are those that are different from others.

  8. Practice gratitude. Be grateful for your body, mind, and uniqueness. Be grateful for everything in your life. Your life is better than you think. You are better than you think. Be grateful, and you’ll start to believe that you deserve more love from yourself.

  9. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to anyone else. To be kinder to others than you are to yourself is just showing everyone, including yourself, that you don’t respect yourself. At the end of the day, there’s no one looking out for you. You’ll have to take on this responsibility yourself.

Self-love is an important part of your self-development. Without self-love, your success and happiness face a huge obstacle.

Self-love is a skill that can be developed. It’s also the result of an effective set of habits. Set aside some time each day to build your self-esteem and self-love. Your life will be better for it.

If you want support in this journey, check out the Self Worth Assessment and Mini Course for great tools to level up your self-worth and self love.