Loving Yourself: A Top Priority

When people think of February, they usually have one of two views on it: it’s either a month filled with hearts and everything pink, or it’s a horrible month containing the most horrible holiday. I get it- if you’re single, what’s the point of Valentine’s Day if there’s no one there to share it with? Right?

Wrong.

Instead of dreading February because you’re “forever alone”, start by making it a month of self love. We’ve all heard the cliché quote, “You have to love yourself before you can love someone else.” It may be totally overused, but in all aspects it’s insanely true.

While reflecting on myself a few days ago, I came to some realizations. Self love is one of the most important things you can achieve, but it is also one of the hardest things. Going deeper into my journey, I acknowledged some important aspects.

1. Take care of your body: it’s a lil machine, and it needs a lot of love. Rest up, eat well, and workout plenty.
2. Put yourself first: it’s important to be a little selfish sometimes, especially when it comes to your overall well-being.
3. Do things that make you happy: get involved in activities that you enjoy doing, and don’t do anything just to impress others. Do things that are going to benefit you, and don’t worry about what people think. If you’re truly invested in something- you’ll know. Find your niche and stick with it.
4. Accept your flaws: almost 100% of the time, others adore the things you can’t stand about yourself. Going along with that, forget about things you want to change. They make you unique, so find love in those qualities.
5. Stop comparing yourself to others: everyone is in some way different, and I think that is absolutely incredible. No one is the same exact person, so don’t compare yourself to anyone else. You’re you, and that’s a pretty awesome thing.

Finding self-love is a long journey, but it is such an important one to find yourself on. Acknowledge your worth and know that you deserve the entire world. Set a goal, and work hard to achieve it-but remember, bumps come along to keep you from some goals. Don’t beat yourself up if you get off track-you’ll get back to the groove soon.

Lastly, instead of resorting to the good ‘ol phrase, “I hate myself” when you do something wrong, replace the “hate” with “love”. Make it a pattern, and your mind will start to believe it.