This quote is so true. In this day of shaming – body or otherwise -on social media, it is no wonder people have a tough time accepting themselves for who they are – themselves. Self-love has so many emotional, physical and mental health benefits to it, that it should not be ignored. And you must love yourself before you can effectively love others. Below are five actions you can take to love yourself more.
Move More
Sitting stagnates our body. And if that sitting happens to be in front of the T.V, it can also lead to mindless snacking on unhealthy foods. Due to a lack of movement (exercise) and an overload of calories, weight gain is usually the result, which can further erode self-esteem and degrade the perception you have of yourself.
If you have a job that requires sitting, prevent the effects of it by getting up and moving for at least 5 minutes out of each hour. More is even better.
Practice Good Nutrition
Have you heard the saying “You are what you eat?” And it turns out, it is true. That being the case, you have the choice to eat junk food, which is high in salt, sugar and saturated fat or to eat clean. Clean will not only provide your body with the nutrients it needs, but will also help you stay fuller longer, thus reducing the urge to eat unhealthy snacks between meals. Focus eating fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, whole grains, nuts and seeds to get the nutrition your body wants and needs.
Improve Your Sleep Quality
Being sleep deprived (for whatever reason) takes its toll on the body because that is the time the body uses to rebuild, repair and replenish itself. If you don’t give it adequate time to do these things, you start the next day at a reduced level of productivity.
If stress is keeping you from getting a good night sleep, act to reduce it. If the cause is environmental, then make changes to your mattress, bedding, room temperature, amount of light coming in, or whatever it is that is keeping you from getting at least 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep.
Make Time for You
Sometimes we get so busy taking care of others, that we forget to take care of ourselves. Engage in activities that are relaxing to you. Many people like to do yoga followed by a relaxing warm bath sprinkled with a few drops of their favorite essential oil, like lavender. Add in some soft music and a glass of wine and you have a recipe for relaxation.
Forgive Yourself
This one is holding many of us back. There is something that we have done in our past that we are still holding against ourselves whether it was our fault or not. The only way to get past it is to forgive yourself and put it behind you. Otherwise the negative feelings will haunt you forever and hold you back.
The past can never be changed, so it is fruitless to dwell on it. Learn from those mistakes so that you don’t do it again in the future, but then don’t let them hold you back from living a quality life. Forget about it and move on!
Use these 5 tips to increase your self-acceptance and to love yourself more. Be beautiful both on the inside and outside!