7 Tips For Radical Self-Love That You Need To Start Implementing Right Now
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Loving ourselves is a sacred duty. Within each one of us is the power to harbor love for ourselves and others unconditionally. Self-love is the ability to appreciate oneself and engage in thoughts and acts that support our physical, mental and spiritual growth. It means to have high regard for our own needs and happiness. It means to avoid pleasing others at the cost of one’s well-being.
Self-love means to say not to settle for something we don’t truly deserve. But there is no one size fits all formula to prescribe to encourage the practice of radical self-love. It is different for different people as we have unique ways to cater to and fulfill our needs and wants. So, as self-love inspires us to choose things that serve our greatest good, it would be great to start choosing ourselves before everyone else. And no, it’s not selfish in any manner because unless you have respect and honor for yourself, you won’t for anybody else. But have you been able to gauge the power of radical self-love truly? What are the hindrances to making self-love unrealistic? What does it mean to be radically self-loving?
For beginners, here’s how you can practice self-love every day:
1. Learn To Forgive Yourself
Basically, cut yourself some slack! Most of our childhood is spent on hard grooming and wanting to be the best of the best. In the process of not making a single mistake, we tend to feel very bad if a mistake happens. It’s time to unlearn that making a mistake is a grave error. As humans, that’s how we learn new things and grow. The greatest favor you can do to yourself is to forgive all mistakes you have committed and be open to forgive yourself in the future. It’s a scary task in the beginning since we are conditioned to hold grudges and beat ourselves up for every little mistake that we make. But how can we set ourselves on the path to self-love if we hesitate or feel reluctant to forgive our inevitable mistakes? So, find forgiveness for yourself and commit to never repeating those blunders.
2. Do Things That Make You Happy
We often get so caught up trying to please others and make them happy that we neglect or disregard our own needs in the process. Putting self-love to practice is to say no to what drains you and leaves you empty and dissatisfied and doing what feels good to you. Part of this is to get involved in hobbies like cooking, singing, dancing, reading, hiking, or playing sports. This could be anything that makes you feel happy and joyous. Focus on one day at a time and engage yourself in ways that maximize your happiness.
3. Harbor Positive Thoughts
Some may argue that this is too pressuring because bottling up your feelings and faking a smile will only cause more mental problems. It is important to have a few emotional outbursts in trying times but don’t weigh it down to a longer process. Don’t keep harboring negative thoughts and get closure on that incident as soon as possible for your own good. A positive frame of mind and self-love are two sides of the same coin. One isn’t possible without the other. When people fuel themselves with negative emotions like jealousy, hatred, envy, and fear, they become less productive and lose the strength to thrive. It’s a competitive world, and the best weapon to handle negative talk or judgment is to be content and secure in one’s skin. And that is a gradual process. So, begin with positively reaffirming yourself that “I am enough”, “I am strong, confident, and capable”, “I can do it”. Repeatedly saying these sentences to yourself throughout the day can put you in a good state of mind.
4. Go For A Detox
While it’s essential to cleanse our bodies from the toxins that accumulate over time, it is also important to cut off from things that don’t serve us well. In today’s world, where technology has invaded our personal lives, we are left with little choice but to accept things even if they are cruel to us. We subscribe to norms and ideals (mindlessly) that the media tries to feed us without questions. We are barged with unsolicited advice from sources that don’t really care about what’s best for us. Radical self-acceptance is to let go and shut out things that make you feel disgruntled and empty. Unless something fills you with joy and peace, it’s not good for you. So, detach and set healthy boundaries.
5. Know Your Self-Worth
Knowing your self-worth is to have belief in your potential. But that is something that we so often fail to realize. If you struggle to understand your worth, practice journalling all the good things about yourself, the qualities that people appreciate, and the acts you’ve done right. You are worthy of all good things every day. You are whole, and you don’t need to know anything extraordinary to prove that to the world. You exist, and that’s enough. How you behave in the world, your strengths, and your talents are a true reflection of who you are as a person. And, your worth is much more than what negative programming of the society has you believe in.
6. Trust Your Instincts
Your soul already knows what’s your purpose in life and what’s best for you. If you’ve been directed toward something, it could have some relevance and importance. We often neglect our inner voice and follow the herd. But it’s crucial to look within and gain answers to your questions. You may feel uncomfortable and indecisive while listening to your gut. Plus, you may not like what your inner voice tells you. However, more often than not, you’ll notice that your intuition has already told you what you need to do. So, seclude yourself and seek answers within. That’s the best form of self-love.
7. Regulate Your Emotions
We are often surrounded by such an overwhelming stream of emotions that can cripple our thoughts and hinder our progress. We may feel anxious, angered, and act impulsively. Those individuals who can practice radical self-love understand that emotions serve different purposes, both good and bad. And when we can channel our feelings into productive activities, we become more accepting of ourselves. Since our values and emotions often control us, we should gain mastery over them so that we are in charge and not them over us.
As important as drinking water is to our survival, the same is true for self-love, for that is from where all forms of love grow. When you love yourself, you prevent the spilling of your negative emotions onto others. You begin to treat yourself with respect and kindness and forgive yourself when you mess up. What other ways can you think of to practice radical self-love daily? Do share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
