The concept of Self love is gaining popularity but are we really into loving ourselves? Are we open to accept and love ourselves as we do it for others?
Let’s explore…
Love and compassion are two inherent qualities of any human being but needs nurturing to develop and flourish. But eventually many of us are not aware of the concept of Self love or we attach a negative meaning to this idea. We feel if we love ourselves then we are selfish and we feel guilty to accept the fact that we need to nurture our own self first than only we can love others genuinely and unconditionally.
But the question that arises is– Are we selfish if we love ourselves or nurture or own needs? Answer to this question is No if we can understand the difference between unconditional self love and selfishness.
We can define unconditional self love as accepting ourselves along with our weaknesses and strengths and appreciating our own talents, gifts and personality. In simple words regard and compassion for our own self which is in harmony with loving others.
Whereas Selfishness is self love which is directed towards satisfying one’s own interest at the expense of others and with complete disregard about the need and feelings of others.
We need to be aware of our own inner self and our surroundings and follow some steps consciously to love ourselves in a healthy way. Some tips to practice self love…
- Self Acceptance– You need to be aware and accept your own strengths and weaknesses. You should know what are your abilities and feel confident about that and similarly accept your weaknesses and improve on that.
- Count your blessings –Be thankful for whatever you have received in this lifetime. What you have today may be the need for others.
- Avoid becoming a Perfectionist– In order to avoid stress you need to avoid the urge to become perfect all the time. No one is perfect.
- Be compassionate – You should treat yourself like you treat your loved ones and accept your mistakes and rectify that. Its ok to make mistakes.
- Be in the present– Make peace with your past and consciously focus in the present. We can’t change our past neither we can predict the future but we can live in our present moment.
- Practice Assertive communication– Talking confidently and assertively with others will help us convey our message clearly and avoid misunderstandings.
- Learn to say No when required– If we can’t conform to any request or demands, we should learn to say no politely and there is nothing wrong in that. Do not take extra burden to please others.
- Avoid self criticizing– When we criticize ourselves, we become very harsh. Do not criticize or berate yourself or self loath. More we say negative things about ourselves, more we lose our own confidence.
- Take out some ‘me’ time– Everyday find out some time exclusively for yourself and spend it at leisure without working or doing things for others. You are important too.
- Take care of your health– Take care of your physical as well as your emotional health. Be aware of any physical ailments as well as mental issues and take help when required.