Hey there, how are you feeling?
Did you know that 10 out of 10 people that master the art and science of self-love live a fulfilled life?
There is a popular opinion that self-criticism improves our chances of success. That we need to constantly be hard on ourselves to make progress. The 'no pain, no gain' theory.
Have you heard about it? Do you think it is true?
Research finding in the US and Europe shows that self-criticism contributes to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and sleep disorders, to mention a few from a long list of mental and physical disorders.
Self-love on the other hand is therapeutic. With a simple act of love towards yourself, you can improve your body's defense system against disease, enhance mood, and reduce blood sugar.
To deal yet another blow to the widely accepted "no pain, no gain" theory, data gathered by scientists showed that self-compassion is a greater form of motivation than self-criticism.
So shower yourself with love. Serve yourself all the love that is in the world.
You have given a lot of love to so many people around you. Family, partners, friends, and colleagues. You have shared your love with all; deserving and undeserving.
But there is no one more deserving of being at the receiving end of your love than YOU.
Treat yourself with the same subtleness, reverence, and honesty as you have done for many.
"I know that it's hard, but you have to try.
If you need advice, let me simplify" --Lizzo
We carefully set up a recipe to help you practice and master the art of self-love.
Connect with positivity
To love yourself, you have to establish a lifetime connection with positivity.
How do you connect? Here are some tips:
● Do things that make you happy. This way you can easily keep your mind busy with uplifting thoughts.
● Share good energy with people around you. Compliment people. "Hey nice shoes!"
Let them feel your positivity when you talk or walk past them.
● Smile. Bless the world with it. There's no better way to transmit your positivity than through an electric smile. One good thing about a smile is its power to attract positive people towards you.
Set goals, mash them, then treat yourself.
Self-love is a gradual process. Setting up realistic and worthwhile goals helps you to ease the process.
Make a deal with yourself to:
● Set daily or weekly targets that are achievable.
Say for example you want to read a few pages from a book on self-development daily.
● Say your target out loud, write it down, or tell someone close.
This forces your mind to prepare for the task and make a place for it.
● Lay down a plan on how you can achieve it.
Formulate your plan. You can choose to read 'X' number of pages in the morning, 'Y' pages in the evening and so on...
● Perhaps the hardest part of it is sticking to your plan. But remain determined to see it to completion. Remind yourself why you started. You have to reach the finish line.
● Now celebrate! At the end of every goal achieved, give yourself a wonderful treat. You deserve it.
Tell yourself well done and scribble your name in the Hall of Fame.
Go out
Even if you are someone with a busy schedule, make room to go outside your room. And no, not to work, but because you want to.
Going out of your usual space is refreshing, it gives you a chance to view life from a different angle.
There are a lot of outdoor activities to get you in high spirits. But choose what you like most. While some people would prefer catching fun in water, your peace may be waiting on top of mountains.
You may also consider traveling to your favorite places, thereby experiencing both the trip and the destination.
"So pack your bags real good baby"--BoB
Move Your Body
Your body naturally produces happy chemicals known as endorphins. Exercise increases the level of these mood lifters.
You can choose active or passive exercise depending on what works for you. Taking a walk, cycling, or weight lifting.
Here are some helpful tips
● Choose the type of exercise that helps you to focus on yourself.
● Exercise regularly. You can set up a schedule and stick to it.
● Don't go all out at the onset. Set achievable limits and increase progressively.
● Taking breaks at intervals will increase the total exercise time. The more the better.
If you prefer to dance, go at it. Move that body in rhythm to your favorite music.
These simple, yet effective, steps will unlock a part of you that you can't help but fall in love with ad infinitum.
But why is self-love important?
We have so many reasons to choose self-love over self-criticism. Here are a few:
● Self-love boosts both mental and physical activity, hence making you healthier and more productive.
● Self-love enhances mood and emotional resilience. When you love yourself right, hard times can't throw you down to an endless abyss of despair.
● Because you can only give what you have, loving yourself teaches you to give love to others.
● Self-love helps you build confidence. Instead of hanging on to the times that you slipped, self-love will teach you to appreciate the many times that you have done great.
CONCLUSION
Despite being popular in all corners of the world, the 'no pain, no gain' theory has no data to back it up, but self-love does.
With a few steps that require continuous practice, you can master self-love and live life on your terms.
So starting today and now, make a decision to love yourself so right that the world will be jealous.
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