Love the Eff Out of yourself! (even when it feels like nobody else does)

Love the Eff Out of Yourself!

(even when it feels like Nobody else does)

What are some of the signs that you know you could use a little more self love?

If you're struggling with self-love, it can be hard to find the strength to take care of yourself. But if you have a positive attitude and know what's best for your health, happiness, and fulfillment will follow naturally. This is your time!

This is the time to take care of you.

Self-love is a beautiful thing. It's important to take care of yourself and your needs, because if you don't, who will? Your family members might not always be there for you in the ways that are most meaningful or helpful to you (if they're even around at all), but there will always be other people out there who can fill that role.

So what do we mean by "taking care of yourself"? We mean prioritizing your own needs over those of others and making sure that you have time for yourself every day, even if it's just 30 minutes a day or an hour every few days.

It also means listening to the subtle cues that the body tells us in relation to the world around us. For example, being so busy at work you forget to breathe regularly or go to the bathroom until you are about to burst!

This isn't selfish. You must take care of yourself because if you don't, how can you expect to be able to take care of anyone else?

If you're always giving and never receiving, then one day your body will just shut down and you will burn out physically and mentally. So make sure that every day, you take some time for yourself, even if it means reminders to take time to breathe.

Dealing with your Inner Critic

“There’s something wrong with you” ... “you’re not good enough”. Does this sound familiar?

Let me tell you, you are not alone. Most of us are numb to those nagging thoughts telling us that

we are not good enough, casting doubt on our goals and undermining our accomplishments.

We all possess an inner critic, we experience this “voice” as a negative internal commentary on who we are and how we behave.

This inner critic may meet you first thing in the morning, at work, when alone or it can even be there to critique your closest relationships.

A few exercises which can help you conquer your inner critic "voice" are:

-Identifying your inner critic

By identifying and acknowledging that it is your inner voice speaking, you can separate it from your real point of view and remind yourself that your critical inner voice is not a reflection of reality.

-Separate from your inner critic

One way to help you break free from your inner voice is to write these thoughts down in the second person as “you” statements.

By doing this, you will notice how hostile your inner critic can be. This will help you see your thoughts from a different perspective and help change your mindset.

-Respond to your inner critic

Write down a more realistic and compassionate evaluation of yourself. Write these responses in the first person as “I” statements. In response to a thought like, “You’re useless,” you could write, “I may struggle at times, but I am smart and efficient in many ways.”

Being kinder and having an honest attitude toward yourself can help drive more positive thoughts.

Don't act on your inner critic

If you want to grow stronger, while your inner critic grows weaker ignore that voice in your head that’s screaming at you to not take any risks or that you are not good enough.

You must try and shut it out and aim towards your goals. As you do this more you will realize that there is nothing more powerful than what you tell your mind.

Feeling frustrated or upset is a natural response that occurs when the outcome of a situation turns out differently than expected. When something frustrating happens, it can create stress.

It is our expectations that ultimately create the emotions that rise and then the body reacts or responds in kind (for example with a flushed face, trembling in the chest or the desire to yell.

This is where frustration and the body mind connection come together.

The more you resist an unexpected outcome, the higher likelihood your threshold to handle the stress will decrease.

A few simple ways to release frustrated energy in the body is to:

-Pause and breathe

-Find a change of scenery

-MOVE your body! Shake, dance, stomp and scream

-Prioritize your food and sleeping schedule (when was the last time you ate a nourishing meal?)

-Practice mindful awareness

It's okay to put yourself first sometimes. You are important and deserve to be treated well.

You need to be healthy for your mind and body to work properly in all areas of life--including relationships with family members and friends, work responsibilities, etc.

If you have a hard time with self-care, start small. For example, take a shower every day or drink more water. This can help decrease your stress levels and give you more energy during the day.

Busy? Stressed? Overwhelmed?

You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to do it all. Relax and breathe. Be kind to yourself!

It's okay to say no sometimes.

It's okay to take a break from your routine, especially if you're getting burned out and need time off, you can't do everything.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, unplug and do something else that makes you feel good.

Take some time out for yourself.

Avoid comparing yourself with others; this will only make you feel worse about yourself!

When we find ourselves in a place where we feel comfortable with our body, mind, and heart then we can start to become more self-confident. When we have confidence about who we are as individuals it allows us to be expressive rather than defensive when someone else says something unkind to us or about us!

I hope this post has helped you to realize that you deserve love, time, attention, and care. You are worth it!