Blog Posts

Hey friends, welcome back to the blog.  Today I wanted to continue the self-care topic by exploring self-love.

Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others. Self-love means not settling for less than you deserve. Self-love can mean something different for each person because we all have many different ways to take care of ourselves.  If you have been feeling like self care has declined recently it usually impacts how we feel about ourselves.     We are less likely to feel our best if we aren’t taking time to practice self care.  Neglecting self care can impact our self esteem, self confidence, and self love.                              

Low self-confidence can lead to increased risks of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, as well as physical health issues like digestive problems and sleep disturbances. It can also foster negative self-talk, a fear of failure, social withdrawal, and difficulty forming healthy relationships and boundaries. 

To start loving yourself again, practice daily self-care, such as regular exercise, mindful eating, and adequate sleep.  It is also important to cultivate a positive inner dialogue by challenging negative thoughts and practicing self-compassion. Engage in activities that bring you joy and invest in relationships with positive, supportive people.                                         To cultivate self-love, practice mindfulness, set healthy boundaries, celebrate your achievements, challenge yourself, and prioritize self-care by engaging in activities that nurture your physical and mental health. 

     Here are some practices to consider.                          

•    Practice Self-Kindness: Speak to yourself with positive affirmations and gentle words, avoiding harsh criticism or judgment. 
• Set Healthy Boundaries: Establish clear limits in relationships to protect your time, energy, and emotional well-being. 
• Celebrate Your Progress: Take time to acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small, to build your confidence. 
• Challenge Yourself: Seek out voluntary challenges, whether physical or cognitive, to build confidence, resilience, and self-belief. 
• Prioritize Self-Care: Engage in regular self-care routines, such as exercising to decrease stress hormones, deep breathing, or spending time on creative projects. 
• Embrace Common Humanity: Recognize that you are not alone in your struggles and that making mistakes is a part of the human experience. 
• Avoid Self-Comparison: Focus on your own journey and progress rather than comparing yourself to others. 

As you learn to acknowledge and meet your own needs with self-love, you will also experience added benefits. For example, self-love helps with building self-esteem, managing adversity, and improving overall mental and physical health

As we wrap up self-care September this post is a reminder of an important component of self-care which is practicing self-love.  We all desire love in our lives and some level of connection and belonging.  Most of us are driven to connect and show loves to others.  The practice of being able to show ourselves love is also important.  If we were able to show up for ourselves the way a lot of us show up for others, most of us would be better off for it.

Thanks for reading, until next time.

Emilie Barragan, LCSW  

Therapeuo Health – “Tackling physical and emotional pain”