They say that “the trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go.” During the past six months of social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic, I have been taking advantage of the free time that I have had to work on myself. One of the things that I am truly thankful for with the pandemic is that fact that I have been able to work on and fall in love with myself all over again. With today being the first day of Fall *eek*, I wanted play on the theme of Fall with one of my favorite topics: self love.
Do Something You Have Always Wanted to Do Yet Never Did
JUST DO IT!!! There are SO many things that I have wanted to do, but for some reason I did not. One of the best ways that we can showcase love and compassion to ourselves is by doing things that we want to do/try. Whether that be taking a trip you have always wanted to take, trying a new hobby, or going on a walk on a new trail, simply get out there and do it. If you cannot right now, then save up the money to do it when you can or get the resources to do it. The reward that you reap when you do that thing(s) will be much greater when you do it for YOU and not anyone else. There is SO much that we want to do and we can do it all for ourselves.
Take Time for YOU
One of the greatest ways to show love and care for yourself is to simply take time for yourself and only yourself. We all live crazy busy lives. I get it, too. However, it is really important to put away some time to simply do something for you. If that means taking a nap, then do it. If that means binge watching your favorite show with a glass of wine, then do it. If that means online shopping/browsing, then do it. Getting your mind off of the grind, which is what our minds are on practically ALL THE TIME, is such a great way to show yourself some love and compassion. Moreover, taking time for yourself shows your willingness to keep going to the best of your ability. When you put time away for you, you can then put your best self and foot forward when you are on the grind.
Practice Self Care
Self care takes all kinds and forms. As humans, we naturally spend so much time loving and caring for others that we forget about the most important person in our lives: ourselves. For myself, self care means knowing my limits and what I am willing to do and not do. At the same time, self care means for me to step back when needed and take time for myself to watch some reality television and sip some wine. Sometimes, self care simply means scrolling through my phone for minutes on end. Whatever it means for you, do what you have to and got to do. Once we take time to love and care for ourselves, we learn to grow and love ourselves for who we are and are meant to be.
Be Comfortable with Yourself
I’m going to be honest: this is something that I struggle with still. Guess what?! That is OKAY! We all are unique human beings, but unfortunately society strives to paint us all to fit one mold. The sad reality with society’s distortion of us all is that people feel afraid to come out and be comfortable in their own skin. We are all unique people, and we need to embrace who we truly are. Whether that means dressing in a certain way or style or embracing your love for Disney, the more you become comfortable with yourself, the happier you will be with your own self. Being comfortable in your own skin is one of the best ways to find love and compassion for yourself.
Don’t Care What Others Think About You
The only person whose opinion matters of yourself is your own. There will ALWAYS be haters. I hate to break it to you, but the more you begin to become more comfortable in your own skin and compassionate towards yourself, the more you will distance from those who do not align with your true self. Taylor Swift said it perfectly in her song Shake It Off, as “the haters gonna hate hate hate.” And guess what?! The people who are the proclaimed “haters” in your life, DO NOT MATTER!!! The only person that matters in your life is YOU. No one else is living your life but you. Remember that it is YOUR life to live and no one else’s.
Know YOUR Worth
Knowing your self worth is SO important. For many of us, our past experiences can easily make us feel as if they define our future one’s. However, that is NOT the case. Only YOU define YOUR future! You are worth SO MUCH more than what may have happened in your past. It could take some time for you to realize just that but overtime you will. Just know that you are capable of so much, which knowing yourself is key to falling in love with yourself all over again.
Only Compare To Yourself Yesterday NOT Others
Naturally, it is SO easy to compare ourselves to others. Every single time we do it, we make ourselves look worse in our own eyes as compared to someone else. A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on How I Began Comparing Myself to Others LESS, and it elaborates more on this subject matter. Long story short, comparing ourselves to others is such an unproductive thing to do with our time. At the same time, if we are to compare ourselves to someone, then it should be ourselves yesterday. When we begin comparing ourselves to our own self, we start to examine our self growth and work on ourselves instead of trying to work on others. When we do just that, we begin to love ourselves even more.
When we fall in love with ourselves, we easily let things go that we did not let go before. Falling in love with yourself is something easier said than done. However, it can and must be done by us all, in order for each of us to live out our best lives. This Fall, I hope y’all make it a goal to work on yourself more and to fall in love with yourself. It may take time, but it will happen and it’ll be OH SO WORTH IT. Once you do, you will not look back! You know what they say?! Self love is the BEST love!!!
XOXO – Katie <3