The Journey to Self-Love
Self-love is a practice of acceptance and kindness towards yourself.
It’s a vital component of personal growth, mental health, and well-being.
Yet, it’s easier said than done, and many people struggle with developing self-love.
We are not perfect, we are full of flaws and imperfections, and this doesn’t make us less “better”.
Here, in Wellix we’ll explore together how to cultivate self-love. We will see its benefits, and how to overcome being true to ourselves.
Self-love is not just saying “I’m pretty”
Self-love is the act of accepting and respecting yourself as you are, including your strengths and weaknesses.
It’s a practice of treating yourself with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.
Self-love is not about being selfish or narcissistic.
It’s about acknowledging your worth and taking care of yourself.
When you love yourself, you build a strong foundation for yourself.
A strong base for your personal growth, confidence, and happiness.
How to Develop It?
Cultivating self-love takes time and effort.
You need dedication to learn. Here are some practical steps:
1. Don’t use harsh words with yourself:
Identify your negative self-talk.
Be more patient, remember, you are always learning.
Speak to yourself kindly, as you would a close friend. You are your own friend, too.
2. Self-care:
Focus on your needs.
Treat yourself as you would others.
This includes getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and exercising.
Reward yourself for what you have been doing.
3. Setting boundaries:
Learn to say “no”.
There are things that don’t serve you.
To set boundaries, protect your well-being.
4. Celebrate your uniqueness:
Embrace your flaws and celebrate your strengths.
You’re unique, and that’s something to be proud of.
You are always growing.
The 4 Stages
Self-love is a journey that involves four stages:
1. Self-neglect:
This stage involves neglecting your needs and focusing on external validation.
Are you a people-pleaser?
It’OK.
But look at this person in front of the mirror; it’s you.
2. Self-awareness:
In this stage, you become aware of your needs, desires, and values.
You have started to set boundaries.
A “no” is a complete answer.
You know you are important too.
3. Self-acceptance:
At this stage, you accept yourself as you are.
You include your flaws and imperfections.
Anyone is perfect.
Perfection is only an illusion.
4. Self-love:
In this final stage, you love yourself in its deepest meaning.
You know you are imperfect, and you know you can’t achieve many things.
Life is not always what you ought to, but it’s OK.
The 7 Steps to Loving Yourself
Here are seven steps to loving yourself:
1. Discover your worth:
Embrace your authentic self and recognize your worth.
Ask others what they like about you.
You will discover things you didn’t know.
2. Celebrate your uniqueness:
Embrace your flaws and celebrate your strengths.
Talk with relatives and friends, and search what makes me me.
3. Be kind to yourself:
Practice self-compassion and forgiveness.
You will fail and make a lot of mistakes on this journey.
Take a step back, breathe, and remember: you aren’t all the things your mind says to you.
4. Forgive yourself and others:
Let go of past mistakes and resentments.
They’re a burden.
Try to forgive and feel weightless.
You will be at peace and calm.
5. Live in the moment:
Practice mindfulness and focus on the present moment.
This frees you from the things you have learned as “wrong” and the parts of yourself you don’t like.
It stops all the overthinking and lets you see things differently.
6. Pursue your passions:
Nurture your creativity and interests.
Do you like reading? Do it!
Going out with friends? Come on!
Playing an instrument, doing exercise? It’s all for you.
7. Surround yourself with the ones you love:
Build a supportive community.
People aren’t perfect.
You have to learn to deal with negativity, but the “dark side” of others isn’t your “dark side”.
Be compassive.
You shed light by being yourself.
Why is Self-Love So Difficult?
Developing self-love isn’t easy. Let’s see why:
1. Societal Pressure: Society often imposes unrealistic standards and expectations.
This can make us feel alienated.
You may think you don’t fit, you are a “burden”, etc.
2. Negative Self-Talk: Our inner critic is harsh and cruel.
This challenges us to unlearn to act against us and have a different relationship with our inner selves.
3. Past Trauma: Past experiences and traumas can impact our self-worth.
This makes it harder to develop self-love.
Signs of Lack of Self-Love
Lack of self-love can manifest in various symptoms, such as:
Low self-esteem: feeling inadequate, worthless, or undeserving every time.
We, as humans, always have bad days.
Negative self-talk: Engaging in negative self-talk and self-criticism .
If you reach the point where you can’t control it, this is a problem.
Anxiety and depression: Experiencing anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues.
Codependency: Seeking external validation and approval from others.
Feeling bad again and again for not being “good enough” is a clear sign.
How to Fix This Lack
If you struggle with a lack of self-love, here are some ways to fix it:
1. Seek professional help:
A therapist can help you work through your problems.
You can look directly at why you feel the way you feel.
2. Practice self-compassion:
Treat yourself with kindness and compassion.
You are your own home, your close friend.
3. Surround yourself with life:
Build a supportive network of people who uplift and encourage you.
Experience all the range of emotions you can find.
They are momentary.
4. Take small steps every day:
Cultivate self-love as a habit by taking small steps.
Each day, show yourself some new ways to love yourself.
What to Do If You Don’t Love Yourself
If you struggle with self-love, it’s normal.
But follow the next tips:
- Start small: Take small steps every day towards cultivating self-love.
- Seek support: Talk to a trusted friend or family member or seek professional help. Professional help is always an option, and it’s not wrong. With professional help, you can get to the core of this struggle.
- Focus on personal growth: Invest in your personal growth and development.
How to Know If You Love Yourself
Here are some signs that you love yourself:
1. Self-awareness: You’re aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
2. Self-care: You focus on your physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
3. Fair self-talk: You speak to yourself kindly, knowing you are human and imperfect.
4. Forgiveness: You forgive yourself and others for past mistakes.
An Example of Self-Love
An example of self-love is the story of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder and CEO of the dating app Bumble.
Whitney experienced workplace harassment and discrimination at her previous company and decided to leave and start her own business.
The highest form of self-love is loving yourself unconditionally, regardless of your flaws and imperfections.
It’s the practice of treating yourself with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.
When you love yourself unconditionally, you create a strong foundation for personal growth, happiness, and fulfillment.
She built a company culture that prioritizes kindness, respect, and equality.
Whitney’s dedication to her vision and values is a prime example of self-love in action.
She refused to accept mistreatment and discrimination and chose to create a business that aligns with her values and beliefs.
By choosing to love and respect herself, Whitney created a thriving company that empowers women to make meaningful connections in a safe and respectful environment.
Loving yourself is always a path of learning
Self-love is a journey that takes time and effort, but it’s worth it.
By cultivating self-love, you’ll develop confidence, self-worth, and inner peace.
But this will have its good days and bad days.
Believe it: at the end, you will be grateful. Self-love is not the end of knowing yourself.
You will get angry, feel bad, etc.
But you will know how to keep you company, even in the hardest moments.
By Alonso Ruiz