Thank you, author Bash Sarmiento, for contributing this guest post of self-love and self-care tips. Posting Bash’s article in no way promotes the products he linked.

Self-Love and Self-Care Tips

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels

How come we always tend to find time for other things but quite rarely do we make time for ourselves? We keep deferring me-time because of work, school, and other commitments but when we get so tangled up in these various activities that mainly exhaust our productivity and motivation, who do we run to? Only ourselves. Self-love and self-care are essential. They provide us with self-confidence, self-worth, and mindfulness — and only these things can keep us going when it gets tough. By acknowledging your stressors and self-restraining factors, and fully committing yourself to the process, you can change the way you feel about yourself, the interactions you do, and the decisions you make. Here are a few ways to jumpstart taking care of yourself and giving it the same amount of love you give out to others.

Trust the decisions you make.

You are your best advocate so you always have to stick with your decisions. May it turn out to be right or wrong, learning from your mistakes and taking full responsibility for your actions can humbly grow you and your personality. [¹]

Be gentle to yourself.

When opportunities are presented to us, we sometimes welcome all of them at once — not realizing our plate is filled more than it can hold. Be gentle to yourself and learn how to say no and kindly refuse. It is okay to lose an opportunity than your sanity. It is okay to keep your commitments low but your productivity and efficiency rates high rather than keep your commitments high while your outputs are flunking or low.

Restyle your bedroom.

To make room for beauty sleep and gain its many benefits, maybe it is high time for you to redecorate your bedroom. This can be done by switching the sides of your bed, making a new wall design, adding plants to your room, or simply welcoming a new light color. Loving yourself does not only mean being comfortable in your own skin, it also means being more comfortable in the space you move in.

Meditate and get cozy.

When was the last time you cleared your mind off something, meditated, and enjoyed the peace in silence? Meditation can allow you to gain a new perspective so you can deal with stressful situations at ease. It can also increase your self-awareness and divert your mind into focusing on what is present. It also boosts your patience, tolerance, and staves off negative thoughts and emotions. [²]

Commit to a skin-care routine.

Of course, in improving and showing love to oneself, the outer beauty needs some glow-up too. By putting an effort to improve your skin texture and fully committing to the process of self-improvement, you can provide yourself a healthier, younger-looking skin.

Go on a date… with yourself.

If you are feeling down, stressed or overworked, do something you enjoy doing alone so that you can be in touch with your inner self again. Do not hesitate to buy gifts for yourself, go on a Saturday grocery shopping, watch a movie, or simply toast with yourself over an end-of-day wine. While you are at it, reflect on life and be grateful for what you have. Skip the negativity or else you will self-defeat its purpose.

Get active and physical.

Self-love, self-confidence, and self-esteem are sometimes tied to body perception. On your road to loving yourself, why not add an exercise routine and have a healthy diet to your to-do list? Regular exercising can not only strengthen your body, but it can also make you feel good about yourself and the way you look. [³]

Cut off toxic people and situations.

Disconnect with people who only might pose a risk to your positivity and overall demeanor. Avoid people, situations, and anything that you think can disrupt your state of mind. This might mean disconnecting with your social media even for a while or until such time you have learned to entertain and process them while refraining from dipping your fingers.

Learn a new hobby.

You can try enrolling yourself in a short course on a certain field of interest or do something you have long-delayed already like learning how to paint, a musical instrument, or a new language.

Travel to new places and meet new people.

Plan a trip and go for it on your own. Traveling alone can enable you to get to know yourself better. It can also be a way for you to get out of your comfort zone, make new friends and learn how to rely on yourself. This will boost your confidence and you will have an experience worth reflecting on in the future.

​​Speak to the mirror.

One way to show self-love is to be able to carry your project yourself. The mirror can help you with that. Do a 10 to 15-minute charismatic exercise in front of the mirror and practice self-positivity speech or self-affirmations. While it may not directly change anything in the physical world, it can however emphasize and highlight your thoughts which can shape your reality later on. [⁴]

References:

1. Shawn Jackson. www.goodchoicesgoodlife.org/choices-for-young-people/accepting-responsibility. Accessed 16 Aug. 2021.
2. Mayo Clinic. www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858. Accessed 16 Aug. 2021.
3. Livingston, Mercey. “4 Ways Exercise Can Make You Happier — Even If You Don’t like to Exercise.” CNET, 12 Feb. 2020, www.cnet.com/health/fitness/ways-exercise-makes-you-happier/#:%7E:text=%22When%20you%20exercise%2C%20it%20increases,physical%20pain%2C%22%20McGonigal%20says.
4. Kesarovska, Lidiya. “The Mirror Technique: A Beginner’s Guide to Building Self-Confidence.” Let’s Reach Success, 27 Apr. 2021, letsreachsuccess.com/2016/07/10/the-mirror-technique.