What is Self-Love, that is a great question.
By Dr. Katherine Iguina
I guess every woman can identify with me and know that this is a question we ask ourselves daily, consciously or unconsciously. We are making thousands of decisions throughout the day, and thinking, if this is good for me, do I look fat, if I eat this donut and exercise it will cancel my calories out? All of these questions are about healthy habits, healthy living, and self-care, and we do not know where to turn, or if we are making the right decisions for our well-being or not.
Everyone understands that you need to love and take care of yourself, but do you know what that means? What happens if you ask the question, do I Love myself? What will be the answer, and how do you know where to begin to be able to answer that question?
Let’s start by explaining what Self Love is and then we are going to explore our deepest thoughts and feelings about ourselves, improving our self-worth. Are YOU with me?
Self-love refers to a healthy and balanced appreciation and respect for oneself.
It means accepting yourself as a whole, recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, and knowing which are your self-limitations and doubts while taking the steps to improve and grow.
Self-love allows one to feel confident and secure in oneself, and to maintain healthy boundaries and relationships with others. Now that we know that, how can we obtain the self-respect needed to be able to achieve love for ourselves?
This can be achieved by being true to yourself, digging deep into your heart and emotions, and doing some serious self-reflection. Remember, self-love and self-care is an ongoing journeys and the most important thing is to be kind and patient with yourself.
To start knowing yourself it is good to answer some personal questions. Recommend sitting in a quiet room, and being comfortable, it is preferable to be alone and start writing down the answers to the following questions, a journal is preferable due to the privacy of your thoughts. I encourage you to answer them, you may discover a wonderful world hidden deep inside you, that is ready to be unleashed and can liberate you from your chains.
Self Discovery Questions?
1- How often do you prioritize your own needs and wants over others?
2- How often do you engage in self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones?
3- How do you talk to yourself when faced with challenges or failures?
4- How do you respond to negative self-talk or self-doubt?
5- Do you surround yourself with positive and supportive people?
6- How often do you celebrate your accomplishments and successes, no matter how big or small?
7- How do you handle criticism or rejection from others?
8- Do you believe that you are worthy of love and happiness?
9- Do you take responsibility for your feelings and emotions, rather than blaming others for them?
10- Do you trust yourself and your instincts when making decisions?
Answer each question honestly and reflect on areas where you may need to work on your self-love and self-care, for a free pdf of the questions please visit. The most important thing is to be kind, and patient, and have self-compassion with yourself.
I understand most of these questions are very hard to answer, but if you don’t get truthful with yourself and are conscious of why you behave the way that you do, you will always be in automatic mode and never in control of your own life.
Do you want to take charge of your life, do you want to feel happier, relaxed, healthier, and loved? Of course, you do, everyone does. Okay, so after you do all that deep spiritual journey, how do you implement self-care in your life?
Remember to be a ripple effect of positive change and be the light for others that are in the dark.
If you are interested in contacting me for speaking engagements, email me at journeyofself1@gmail.com.
Here are some ways you can try to improve your self-love:
1- Practice self-care: Engage in activities that promote your physical, emotional, and mental well-being, such as exercise, healthy eating, and mindfulness practices.
2- Practice positive self-talk: Speak to yourself with kindness and compassion, and avoid self-criticism.
3- Surround yourself with positive people: Surrounding yourself with people who support and encourage you can have a positive impact on your self-esteem and overall well-being.
4- Set boundaries: Learn to say no to things or people that don't serve you, and prioritize your own needs and well-being.
5- Engage in activities you enjoy: Doing things that bring you joy and fulfillment, such as hobbies or spending time with loved ones, can help to boost your mood and sense of self-worth.
6- Seek therapy: Talking to a mental health professional can provide a safe and supportive space to work through any negative self-perceptions and develop a healthier relationship with yourself.
7- Celebrate your successes: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may be. This can help to build self-confidence and a positive self-image.
8- Practice gratitude: Focusing on the things you are thankful for can help to shift your focus away from negative self-talk and improve your overall outlook on life.
9- Learn to forgive yourself: It's important to let go of past mistakes and be kind to yourself, rather than dwelling on them and criticizing yourself.
No one said that this constant journey for self-improvement was going to be easy, but is not impossible. If you are truly interested in having and enjoying your best life, you have to start with YOURSELF.
There is no better care than self-care. This is because, if you cannot love yourself, respect others, and have self-compassion, how are you going to be able to express real love to others? Some of you will be disagreeing with me because they believe they can do it all, be it all and hide their true emotions inside and keep on going like nothing is happening and keeping the boat afloat. What they don’t recognize is that the body can hold a lot of stress for years, but it will come to a boiling point, where it cannot take it anymore and it's going to self-realization in the form of a heart attack, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, emotional stress, skin diseases like allergies or rashes and other diseases.
It’s not healthy going in a life pleasing everyone and taking care of other's needs first, but what about you? You need to have fun too, you need to have a relaxing time and most of all you have goals that you want to achieve.
If you want to start living your best life, start taking care of yourself today, so your future self will be healthy, happy, and joyful.
Remember to start today, change your mindset, be more positive, take things a little bit slower, and be conscious of your thoughts and emotions to make the best decisions for you. Remember every decision that you make is based on emotion. Be conscious of your thoughts and why you are choosing to be this way or another and if you don’t like what you see, change it.
Don’t let anyone dictate your life, you can have it all! You can be successful, take care of yourself, have mindfulness, be in a loving relationship, be a great parent, and be it all. The only thing you need to figure out is how to manage your time efficiently, and the rest is determination. If you want to know more about how to have a healthy lifestyle, manage habits, and incorporate self-care into your routine, visit my YouTube Channel Journeyofself, and watch full videos on my Podcast Woman Up!
Visualize your dream self and strive each day to achieve your goals. Don’t be hard on yourself if there are days that your best is being in pajamas all day, that’s okay. Don’t give up on yourself, you are the only person that matters, take care of yourself, because a lot of people will be sad if you are not in their lives. Trust me, if you could see yourself as other people see you, on how amazing, talented, creative, loving you are, and there is nothing wrong with you, then you would understand.
Remember self-love is a journey with its ups and downs. The most important thing to have in mind is that you are more valuable and strong than you believe, you are capable of amazing things, but have to take action and take time to make it happen.
Do some introspection, learn more about your hopes and dreams, visualize the best version of yourself, and do something every day to achieve it.
Self-discovery, care, and love is a personal journeys, don’t compare yourself to others, because everyone is different and unique and has different expectations and priorities in life. Learn what is important to you, and strive to be the best version of Yourself and no one else.
To learn more about Self Care and Self Love visit my YouTube channel Journeyofself, and watch my Podcast Woman Up! Episode 5, where I talk about how incorporating self-care can change your life.
Here are some self-care tips:
Self-care is the practice of taking care of one's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Here are some self-care tips for women:
1- Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to help improve your physical and mental health.
2- Exercise regularly: Engage in physical activity that you enjoy, such as yoga, dancing, or hiking, to boost your mood and energy levels.
3- Eat a healthy diet: Focus on eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
4- Practice mindfulness: Engage in mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep breathing, to reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.
5- Connect with others: Spend time with friends and family, or participate in social activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.
6- Do something creative: Engage in creative activities such as painting, writing, or cooking, to help reduce stress and improve your mood.
7- Take time for yourself: Set aside time each day to focus on your own needs, whether it's reading a book, taking a bath, or going for a walk.
8- Get outside: Spending time in nature has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress, and boost overall well-being.
Remember, self-care is a personal and ongoing journey. It's important to listen to your own needs and prioritize activities that make you feel good and help you recharge.
Self-love refers to a positive attitude and acceptance toward oneself. It involves recognizing one's worth and treating oneself with kindness, compassion, and respect.
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