It’s easy to fall out of love with yourself when you’re going through a bit of a rough patch in your life. This year especially, has seen billions of people have to halt their lives and adapt to a new normal. Weddings were canceled, vacation plans had to be amended, and a limit was put on funeral attendances. Let’s face it, 2020 has been a horrendous year for many of us. At times like these, losing touch with who you are isn’t uncommon, and if you’re looking for a way to love yourself again — here are some places to start.
Start A Gratitude Journal
One of the biggest flaws humans have is we spend too much time worrying about what we don’t have, and not enough time appreciating the things we already have in our lives. Consider starting a gratitude journal and write down something you’re thankful for each day. Every now and then you’ll find yourself heading back though your journal and realizing that you’ve become much more thankful for what you already have rather than moping about what you don’t have.
Treat Yourself
We all have those little things we hate about the way we look. Perhaps it’s a mole on your face or the size and shape of your nose that makes you feel self-conscious? However, thanks to the power of science and technology (and some very talented surgeons) we are able to change a multitude of aspects regarding our appearance. If you were self-conscious of your smile, for example, you could look at buying affordable dentures to give you the smile you’ve always dreamed of.
Smile More!
Smiling has a way of making you feel instantly happier. Think about it, when someone smiles at you, it gives you a warm feeling inside that makes you reciprocate that action. Find reasons to laugh and smile more often! Whether that be catching up with an old friend, or watching your favorite comedian, laughing and smiling more will help improve your mood, your mental health, and your opinion of yourself.
Do Something Selfless
Sometimes, falling out of love with yourself isn’t always aesthetic — it is down to the fact you don’t like who you’ve become as a person. It’s easy to become lazier than we would like to be, and if you’ve found that you don’t like who you are as of late, then work on changing that bit by bit! Doing something selfless can help build your opinion of yourself up, and you’ll be helping someone or something else in the process! Perhaps you could volunteer at an animal shelter, or spend time reading with dementia patients. Whatever you choose, you’ll begin to feel better about yourself in no time.
Focus On Your Career
When you’re comfortable in a job, it’s easy to begin slacking off and putting less effort in than you usually would. After all, it’ll still be there tomorrow right?! Try to pull yourself out of this attitude by rewarding yourself for each successful and productive day at work. You could treat yourself to a takeout or that bottle of wine you really enjoy. Before long, your superiors will notice and who knows where it could take you then? Work harder at your career for self-satisfaction and the chance to move higher with a better pay grade!
If you feel your career is dragging you down then it might be time to begin looking for something new to pursue. It’s perfectly normal to realize later down the road that your career choice just isn’t working anymore, so change it up! Perhaps you’ve always had a business idea that you’d start up “one day”? Now is the time!
Be A Little Selfish
Self-care and learning to love yourself again will require you to be a little selfish from time to time. You need to spend time with yourself and yourself only to achieve this! Give yourself time to be truly happy in your own mind, and to enjoy time alone to yourself. Self-care is super important, so give it to yourself! Run a hot bath, light some candles, cook a healthy meal, and get enough sleep. The more you do this, the more you’ll notice how much better you feel about yourself and most importantly, how vital self-care really is.
Don’t Obsess Over The Media
The media is a powerful tool feeding impressionable minds the image that “society” expects us to be: not too tall, not too short, not too fat, not too thin, etc. Whether you realize it or not, you see thousands of images each day telling you who you’re supposed to be and how you’re supposed to look. First things first, don’t obsess on the media! We are all beautiful in our own ways — whether that be beautifully long legs or a quirky personality — nobody is perfect but we all have our own specialties.
Treat Yourself How You Treat Your Loved Ones
Think about how you treat your mom, dad, your sister, or brother — or even your partner. You probably have patience to hear what they have to say, you have forgiveness when they’ve made a mistake, and you’d do anything to see them happy and healthy. Give yourself the same treatment! Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, so forgive yourself for all of yours. Everyone has bad days and the same goes for you too. Stop being so hard on yourself and treat yourself how you’d treat a loved one — with respect, love, and care!
Self-love is so important. Not only does self-loathing affect you and your mental health, but it also affects your loved ones around you too. It can interfere with intimacy in a loving relationship, and it can hinder relationships all around you. Use these tips to begin learning to love yourself again and remember — you’re amazing in your own way!
