7 ways to practice self-love for good mental health
What is
Self-Love?
Self-love means that you accept yourself fully, treat yourself with kindness and respect, and nurture your growth and wellbeing.
February is the month of love. And everywhere you look, you see and hear about love, showing love, receiving love, spending money on the one you love. But what about showing love to ourselves?
What is Self-Love? Self-love means that you accept yourself fully, treat yourself with kindness, and respect, and nurture your growth and wellbeing.
Over time, practicing actions that promote self-love can help both your physical and psychological well-being. Practicing self-love can increase your self-esteem, make you aware of your strengths and allow you to be more accepting of your weaknesses.
Here are a few ways you can practice self-love for good mental health.
1. Practice self-care
Taking care of your basic needs is fundamental to being mentally healthy. Incorporating exercise, proper nutrition, and getting enough sleep is essential. All of these essentials help to improve and maintain good mental health. Self-care can be challenging for some. Things like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or wearing clean clothes each day might seem effortless, but they can be difficult to do, especially if you struggle with something like depression or anxiety. Self-care can be put on the back burner when you feel down or stressed, but it should be just the opposite. No matter how small, practicing daily self-care is a healthy tendency and a great way to practice self-love.
2. Be kind to yourself
Speak kindly to yourself, and don’t negatively talk to yourself. Celebrate yourself; you have grown so much. Focus on encouraging yourself throughout the day. Your thoughts impact how you feel. Try writing down 3-5 kind things about yourself daily to increase your self-love.
3. Set healthy boundaries
Setting boundaries is essential if we want to be physically and emotionally healthy. Creating healthy boundaries is empowering. By recognizing the need to set and enforce limits, you protect your self-esteem, maintain self-respect, and enjoy healthy relationships. Setting healthy boundaries applies to your work, personal life, and relationships. Protecting yourself from people who don’t wish you well is necessary to self-love.
4. Stop comparing yourself to others
There’s just no point in comparing yourself to anyone else on the planet because there’s only one you. There is no need to compare yourself to others. You are special and unique. There is only one of you. Rather than comparing yourself to others, focus on yourself and your happiness. The shift of energy alone will help you feel free.
5. Allow yourself to make mistakes
Show yourself love and compassion. There’s no point in talking to yourself negatively. You’re constantly changing and growing from who you once were into who you are today. Show yourself grace when you make mistakes.
6. Don’t be afraid to let go of toxic people
Not everybody takes accountability for their actions. If someone is bringing toxicity into your life and won’t take responsibility for it, that might mean you need to step away from them. Don’t be afraid to let people go. Protect your energy and your mental health. It’s not wrong to remove yourself from situations or the company of people who are draining you.
7. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is one of the simplest ways to focus on the good in yourself and your life. Try identifying five things you’re grateful for when you wake up every morning. Expressing gratitude has been shown to boost immunity, improve mental health, and increase optimism.
Take time today to practice some self-love to help you improve your mental health.
