Does Self-love still work? Let’s find out.

There’s been so much chatter about Self-love in recent years. What does it mean? Who needs it? But more importantly, what do you stand to gain by loving yourself?

If you’re keen on finding the answers to those questions, then come along as we uncover what self-love is, but more than that, how you can utilize its power for your growth and development.

What Does it Mean to Love Yourself?

Self-love is simply loving yourself; loving yourself enough to stick to only what appreciates, promotes and consistently works for your good.

Self-love centers on the good of self. This means you should steer clear of any energy, thought, activity or situation that goes against your good.

Easy right?

Well, self-love may not be the easiest task. It demands lots of sacrifice. Sacrificing certain habits, relationships and pleasures you’ve become accustomed to, and more than that?

Self-love may be the most demanding activity you ever engage in, it requires an enormous amount of time, conscious awareness and continued effort to ensure you truly love yourself.

But it doesn’t have to be difficult as you imagine.

In fact, when you recognize your actions are directed at your own good, self-love becomes the most beautiful activity you could ever engage in. 

I’ve put together 4 actionable steps to ensure Self-love works in your favor, each and every day. 

Accept Yourself

Self-acceptance is where Self-love begins. It’s easy to believe you’ve accepted yourself and the reality of your existence but I find the tricky part comes with confusing Self rejection for Self-acceptance.

“I’m obese, so what?”

“I’m broke. Well, it’s what it is.”

“I’ve got bad habits, but so does everyone else.”

If you have similar thoughts, recognize what you’re doing isn’t self-acceptance but self-rejection.

Self-acceptance doesn’t make excuses; it recognizes the good, the bad and the ugly. It transmutes into Self-appreciation with a willingness to change your life for the better.

If you don’t truly acknowledge yourself, then you may never begin the journey of loving yourself. You have to go beyond recognizing your life situation, you have to uplift the good in your life and appreciate it every day.

Show Gratitude for the Good in Your Life

The uncertainty of life can sometimes lure you into a regressive thought pattern where you’re conscious of only the difficulties in your life. If you get overwhelmed by these challenges, you could end up stuck in a rut of unhappiness.

It’s helpful to develop the habit of gratitude by appreciating the good in your life. Recognize that you’re amazing, you’re beautiful, you’re loved, you’re worthy, and there is a purpose for your existence.

Self-appreciation will keep you going at all times, it’s the most efficient way to fuel your existence and goals all the way to triumph and self-actualization.

To fully appreciate yourself, free your mind of the failures and mistakes of your past, the worries and burden of your life situation. Stay in the light; the beauty of your own existence.

‘So, what about my life situation and challenges? Do I just ignore them?’

No, but don’t let them get in the way or weigh you down. You will improve your life situation; to do this, you have to practice self-care.

Care for yourself, always.

Life can be full of roadblocks. They may exist in the mind as negative thoughts like fear, anger, sadness, worry, pain, an endless list. They may also exist in reality as your life situation; bad habits, poor work ethics, financial restraints, toxic relationships and associations that do not contribute to your good.

A stronger mind, a healthier body is how you improve your life situation and contribute to your growth and well-being.

To care for your mind, make a conscious effort to free your mind of negative thoughts by practicing positive thoughts and affirmations. Commit to self-discovery; identify what makes you unique, it may be a talent or skill set, focus on developing and applying it each day towards self-actualization.

To care for your body; commit to staying healthy, eat good food, exercise, stay productive and smile more often. Commit to self-awareness; recognize what contributes to your good and go for it, irrespective of what it may cost you.

Love yourself enough to go against the challenges of life and make those sacrifices. Let your desire for a better life be your driving force towards self-actualization.

Create the Best Version of Yourself

Self-actualization is the realization of your desired wholeness and expectations. It’s not a final destination but a continued end in itself.

Self-love is the path to self-actualization. Your mind and body have to collectively work for your good. You can achieve this oneness through practicing purposeful thoughts and intentional actions.

Purposeful thoughts are purpose driven and directed towards your good. They are driven by a purpose; self-good.

They rid your mind of negative energy, because your mind channels only thoughts that are purposeful for self-actualization.

Intentional actions are the physical counterparts of purposeful thoughts. You have to be intentional; conscious enough to say yes to those purposeful thoughts and act on them.

Follow your heart, love yourself enough to think purposefully and intentionally apply those thoughts for your ultimate good. This is how you make self-love work in your favor, each and every day.

Special Takeaway!

 For our special takeaway, I encourage you to practice Good Karma.

You may encounter situations or people that come along with a baggage of negative energy; their words or actions may directly or indirectly aim to upset your peace of mind and disrupt your self-love.

It’s your responsibility to ensure that negative influence doesn’t rub off on you or incite you towards doing something that foils your own good.

Mind energy is the most contagious substance in existence, resist all negative energy by disassociating from the people or situations that bring along the bad and ugly, and when you can, always respond with positive energy because it always comes back; and when its return isn’t immediate, it continues to pile up and will certainly return; tenfold more.