Everyone wants to be loved, right? Every person wants to know that feeling of being appreciated, being admired, being the center of someone’s world. Our society, and teens especially, put such an emphasis on relationship status. If you look to any social media site, you will instantly find posts about love. We see people posting their “goals”, the happiness, sadness, and every emotion in between that’s experienced in a relationship. Let’s not forget the endless number of quotes and poems that detail the sudden joy that comes with love, and the emptiness we feel in its demise. But why do we need to feel empty because we’ve lost someone else? Or because we can’t seem to find the person that we think will complete us? We’ve somehow created this idea that we’re not special when we don’t have a lover reminding us of it daily. We think that we’re more valuable just because another person sees us that way.
I’m here to remind you to fall in love with yourself.
You don’t need to be told that you’re beautiful, to be beautiful. Because of the pressure and desire to be in a relationship we don’t realize that the most important person to be loved by is ourselves. As hard as it may be to truly attain self love, you will never be able to fully accept the love another person gives you until you believe it yourself.
Here is your how-to guide to finding love in the comfort of your own mind.
- Think positively
One thing that I have learned is to never underestimate the power of positive thinking. You will be amazed to see the effects that it has. By bringing positivity and light into your life, you will instantly see a difference in the way that you feel about yourself. The obstacles you face will seem obsolete, and you’ll realize how much potential and power you hold. The greatest part of this positivity is that you can share it with the people around you!
Something that I find is a huge confidence-booster is giving confidence to others. A simple compliment can bring so much happiness into your life that you wouldn’t even expect. You are making someone else feel good about themselves, which in turn will make you feel good about yourself. This also may give that person incentive to return the compliment when they may have been too shy to compliment you before, or even be the start of a great friendship!
- Healthy Lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is so important for a happy mind, body, and soul. Not only is it good for your physical well being, but promotes a positive body image. By eating healthier and exercising, you will feel more confident in your body, and yourself as a person. Some nutrients and vitamins have even been scientifically proven to boost our mood and combat depressive thoughts!
- Inner Peace
Attaining inner peace is such a tremendous step towards loving the person that you are. Every person holds onto moments, words, things that have hurt us, and things that have changed us. We have regret, and heartache, and dealing with those things can sometimes be the strongest force pulling us away from self love. When you think about it, how can you truly be happy with yourself when you’re not allowing yourself to be happy with the world around you? The world inside of you?
By coming to terms with the people and things that have hurt you, and letting go of regret and anger, feeling at peace with yourself will become so much easier. I think that one of the most important steps in this process is forgiveness. Forgiving the people that have hurt you, and most importantly forgiving yourself for anything that your heart may be holding onto. A few more methods that I have found to be helpful are writing, talking to someone close to you, or even expressing yourself artistically. Pouring your heart into an art that you are passionate about can be the best way to reach peace with yourself.
- Loving Your Outer Appearance
Loving the person you are on the outside is equally as important as loving who you are on the inside. So many people struggle to accept their body, and love the person they see when they look in the mirror. I am going to share a technique with you to help kick those negative thoughts.
Instead of appreciating their true beauty, people are often quick to notice their flaws. To help change this habit of self degradation, I want you to look at yourself in the mirror; really study your features. But instead of harping on your flaws, I want you to find three things that you think are beautiful. It can be your eyes, your smile, anything that you like.
By doing this everyday you will be changing your habit from viewing yourself negatively, to positively. After practicing this self love, you will slowly come to love yourself without this practice. It will come naturally, and you will be proud of the little things that make you beautiful in your own way.
