TEN STEPS TO SELF-LOVE

TEN STEPS TO SELF-LOVE
 
For the past six years,
I have picked, My One Word to live by for the year.  They have been Health, Focus, Completion, Sincerity, Joy and Intention.
(Click on the word to read my writings about Sincerity and Joy.)

​This year is a bit different. 
This year I decided I would call it my THEME for the year. The underlying meaning of how I make my decisions and live each day.
My Theme for this year is Self-Love.
It is my intention to love myself.
 
I have written many times about self-care and try to practice it.  Self-care is part of it but, Self-Love goes further. 
It is believing that I am a valuable and worthwhile person.
It is respecting myself enough to say no when I want to say no and yes when I want to say yes.
It is holding my happiness, desires, interests and needs in high priority.
It is finding the love we all long for in ourselves before seeking it from others.
 
This is how I plan to put Self-Love into action- and you can too!
 
1. Practice Self-Care
Sleep enough, eat healthy and exercise regularly.

2. Stop the critical self-talk.
Shut off the constant inner voice of criticism.  Speak to yourself like you would a loved one- in a loving way.

3. Stop judging and forgive.
Stop analyzing the words you should have said, the ones you wish you wouldn’t have said, the mistakes, mishaps and missteps in your life. Forgive yourself and move on. Stop judging your actions and comparing yourself to others. Be your own best friend.

4. Believe that you are Good Enough.
Just the fact that you made it here through all steps of conception and birth and survived is proof that you are Good Enough to be here. We are here for a purpose. The moment you were born you were Good Enough. Stop thinking that you have to be smarter, more attractive, and more interesting to be loved. Accept yourself the way you are right now in this moment. When you begin loving yourself all of those things will become the magical byproducts of your love.
Repeat this everyday: I AM GOOD ENOUGH!
(Read: Good Enough here)

5. Give what you want to receive. 
When you are kind to others you will receive kindness in return.  When you are positive, compassionate and loving you will receive the same in return.  Even a smile is mirrored back to you when you give one away.  Give what you want to receive. Give to yourself what you want to receive!   

6. Try something new.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?  Try a new hobby, travel to a new place, experience something you have never seen, felt, heard, tasted or touched before.  Love yourself enough to give yourself a new experience.

7. Leave the past- past. 
We all have stuff in our lives.  The phone calls we wished we never answered.  The pain, loss and disappointment we wish we never suffered. The days we can’t do over.  Reliving them won’t change them.  Accept the lessons and leave the past in the past.  You will never move forward by reliving the past. Don’t let yesterday take away your today!

8. Set and stick to your limits. 
You can only do so much, work so hard, give so much.  Realize that your time and energy is a limited quantity.  Do not give away so much that there is nothing left for you.  Set limits and when you say, “no” - mean it.

9. Have FUN!
Life shouldn’t be all work and serious business.  Life should be fun! Allow yourself time to play.  Ski, bowl, make a snow angel, play Parcheesi (I’m actually not even sure what that is, but it is fun to say.) Do whatever it is that brings back your childlike spirit.  LAUGH! 
Give yourself the gift of FUN!  

10. Be patient in the process and let go of perfection. 
Self-Love will take time.  Just like trying your first Yoga pose was probably not comfortable, graceful, perfect or even pretty, but with practice it becomes easier, you become stronger and more confident in the motion. Be patient – it may never be perfect.
 
Fully loving myself can feel like an unattainable challenge, but here I go. I have engrained inside many unflattering traits when it comes to all the items I listed. 
I have always expected perfection in myself and have been critical when I fall short of my own expectations. I plan to move forward with this intention for my year holding myself in kindness all the way.  I plan to make progress and accept that there may be some backsliding and failed attempts. 
I will accept and love myself anyway.
 
Self-Love is not vanity or selfishness. Self-Love is giving yourself the same acts of kindness, love and compassion that you give to others. 
Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you. 
Trust your heart. 
Value yourself as a person. 
Remember, until you love yourself, you will never be able to fully love another – AND you will never be fully loved. 
Love begins at home. Your home.
The body, soul and spirit that is YOU. 
Love YOU first.
               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
 “Until you love yourself, you will never be
​          able to fully love another –
    AND you will never be fully loved.”  
​               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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TEN STEPS TO SELF LOVE

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to  create a THEME for your year... and to think about how well  you love yourself.
​Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
                [email protected]. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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