Self-love is most likely not a term that’s new to you, it’s thrown around a lot, but do you truly understand what it is?
Self-love isn’t just about you loving yourself, it includes you accepting yourself, the way you treat yourself, and how you speak to yourself.
It’s a form of self-acceptance and self-care, people who have self-love have a positive attitude toward themselves and their own needs. They take action to support their own needs and well-being.
People often put everyone first and tend to put themselves absolutely last. But you cant fill everyone else’s cup when yours is empty.
Follow along with this 30 Day challenge to start your self-love journey.
Getting Started On Your 30-Day Self-Love Challenge
Self-love is an important aspect of being happy. If you’re not used to it, it will take some getting used to it.
To understand self-love, we first need to identify what self-love is not.
What Is Not Self-Love
Self-love is different from being selfish, narcissistic, or self-absorbed.
When you love yourself, you take care of and prioritize yourself. However, you’re still attentive to the feelings and needs of other people.
If anything, people who practice self-love are more likely to take even better care of the ones around us. When we are our best selves, we can give the best to the ones we love.
Self-absorption, however, can be the total opposite. This keeps us stuck in our own world and makes us ignorant of other people’s needs and feelings.
Self-love should not be confused with gratification, which is an impulse to “treat ourselves,” even when it’s not in our best interest and doesn’t benefit us positively.
Benefits Of Self-Love
Self-Love Increases Confidence and Self-Esteem
Self-love increases confidence and self-esteem because:
1. It involves accepting and appreciating yourself for who you are, including all your flaws and imperfections.
2. When you love yourself, you are more likely to set healthy boundaries and prioritize your own needs and wants.
3. Self-love also helps you build a positive self-image, leading to improved self-confidence.
4. By focusing on your strengths and positive qualities, self-love can boost your self-esteem and make you feel more worthy and deserving of good things in life.
5. When you feel good about yourself, you are less likely to compare yourself to others and feel less self-doubt and insecurity.
Self-Love Improves Your Relationships With Others
Self-love can improve relationships with others because:
1. When you love and respect yourself, you are less likely to tolerate toxic or unhealthy relationships.
2. You are more confident in expressing your needs and desires, leading to more fulfilling and honest interactions with others.
3. Self-love also helps you communicate more effectively and empathize with others, leading to stronger and more meaningful connections.
4. By valuing yourself, you are less likely to give in to the demands and expectations of others, allowing you to establish healthier relationships based on mutual respect and understanding.
5. Self-love also makes you more resilient and confident, allowing you to handle conflicts and challenges in your relationships more effectively.
Self-Love Betters Your Mental Health and Reduces Stress
Self-love can help improve mental health and reduce stress because:
1. When you love yourself, you are more likely to prioritize self-care and engage in activities that promote well-being and happiness.
2. Self-love can also reduce feelings of self-criticism and negative self-talk, which are major contributors to stress and anxiety.
3. By accepting and embracing your imperfections, self-love can also reduce feelings of shame and guilt, leading to improved mental health.
4. Self-love can increase feelings of worthiness and confidence, leading to improved self-esteem and reduced stress in social and professional situations.
5. By taking care of yourself and focusing on your own needs, self-love can also help prevent burnout and reduce symptoms of depression.
Self-Love Improves Physical Health and Well-Being
Self-love can improve physical health and well-being because:
1. When you love yourself, you are more likely to engage in healthy habits such as exercise, good nutrition, and sufficient sleep.
2. Self-love can reduce stress and anxiety, which can have negative impacts on physical health, such as headaches, digestive issues, and decreased immunity.
3. By taking care of yourself and setting boundaries, self-love can also prevent burnout and improve energy levels, making it easier to work out and stay fit.
4. Self-love can also improve self-esteem, leading to a more positive outlook on life and improved overall well-being.
30-Day Self-Love Challenge
Here is a 30-day self-love challenge:
Day 1: Write a letter to yourself listing all of your positive qualities and things you are grateful for.
Day 2: Practice self-care by having an at-home spa day, taking a relaxing bath, or giving yourself a facial.
Day 3: Spend time with yourself and go on a solo date.
Day 4: Practice positive self-talk and reframe negative thoughts into more positive ones.
Day 5: Journal and write down 5 things you love about yourself.
Day 6: Treat yourself to something you enjoy, such as a special meal or a movie.
Day 7: Reflect on past experiences and forgive yourself for any mistakes or past actions, write these experiences down on a piece of paper and set it on fire, trust me, it works.
Day 8: Write down your goals and aspirations, and take steps towards achieving them, consider making a vision board to really visualize it.
Day 9: Practice gratitude by starting a gratitude journal and listing things you are thankful for each day.
Day 10: Go on a long walk to start your fitness journey, and set a small goal for yourself, like losing a bit of weight. Then go from there.
Day 11: Take a long luxury shower and treat yourself to some self-care.
Day 12: Spend time in nature and connect with the environment, maybe take a picnic basket along and have a day alone.
Day 13: Meditate and be in tune with yourself.
Day 14: Take a break from social media for a day and focus on just being present with yourself.
Day 15: Reflect on your achievements and be proud of your accomplishments.
Day 16: Give yourself a facial.
Day 17: Stay in the moment. Life is a very uncertain thing and we don’t know what could happen next, we can easily get swept into worrying about our future. Take today to think of anything other than the future.
Day 18: Stand up for yourself. Many of us, especially women, are people pleasers, so it can be hard to stand up for ourselves. So take today to not take shit from anyone!
Day 19: Engage in a creative activity, such as painting or writing, maybe paint yourself and really focus on your favorite features of yourself and appreciate them.
Day 20: Overcome a fear. Face a fear you’ve always had, for me this would be the ocean. You don’t need to do too much at once, just dip your toe into it to give yourself a push.
Day 21: Cook for yourself and have a little romantic date alone. Light some candles and get dressed up after you’ve cooked yourself a fancy meal.
Day 22: Take a self-care day and do things that make you feel good, give yourself a manicure and a pedicure. It’s cheap and easy and you’ll come out feeling pretty.
Day 23: Focus on self-love affirmations and repeat them to yourself daily.
Day 24: Treat yourself to a small gift. Maybe some flowers or get yourself some jewelry or a desert. It really depends on what you want.
Day 25: Try something new that you’ve always meant to try.
Day 26: Practice forgiveness, both for others and yourself.
Day 27: Celebrate your individuality and embrace your unique qualities.
Day 28: Read a self-help book or listen to motivational podcasts to continue your self-love journey.
Day 29: Be patient and kind to yourself, and remember that self-love is a lifelong journey.
Day 30: Reflect on your journey and celebrate the progress you have made in loving yourself.
Loving yourself doesn’t mean going from one extreme to another, it’s not turning into someone who only takes care of themself. The goal of growing in self-love is to find the balance. You can learn to give to others while taking responsibility for yourself.