"I'm not looking for my other half because I am not half." --Unknown
Self-love is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical and emotional growth. Once you learn the art of filling yourself up, you’ll no longer have to seek out others to turn on that feeling in you. You won’t feel like you have to chase love or that there’s ever a lack of it in your life. For a long time, I searched for validation in the love of others. It took many heartbreaks, friendship fallouts, and family instability to realize the only person I could ever count on 100 percent was myself. While I often struggle with having confidence in my own strength, beauty, and intelligence, I am trying. I have boarded the train and I am on the path to becoming my own number one fan and loving myself unconditionally.
Remove toxicity in your life. It could be as simple as deleting your twitter or as huge as ending a friendship. Big or small, remove things that are not making you happy or making your life better because they are not worth keeping around.
Take yourself on a date. Whether it’s a deep and soulful experience or just a night off from your hectic life, we all deserve a break sometimes, and there is no greater company than you.
Embrace your flaws. It's so easy to fall into the vicious cycle of self-deprecation, and often we fall into this cycle because our perception of ourselves is distorted. To love ourselves completely, we have to accept and appreciate ourselves without conditions. Chances are that something we hate about ourselves is something someone else loves.
Celebrate your achievements. I’m the first to admit that nothing I do is ever good enough for myself. Life is a constant uphill battle, but if you keep going, day after day, no matter how much you struggle, that’s success. So be proud of all that you’ve accomplished (big or small). Celebrate your achievements. You’ve put in the hard work, and you deserve to feel happy. I’ll try and do the same.
Find one thing every day you love about yourself. Get into the habit of waking up and finding one thing you love about who you are. Maybe create a mantra or find a phrase that exemplifies how you want to feel. Then say this phrase once or twice out loud every day. Eventually, your words will become a reality.
Unplug. The immense amount of time we spend with our devices can actually leave us feeling worse about ourselves. The constant stream of false positiveness streaming down your Facebook wall can leave you feeling drained and awful. I admit that I let the "like" or lack thereof affect how I perceive my life. Taking a day to remove yourself from technology can make you mindful of all the great things that are happening in your life.
Write down your dreams/ambitions/goals and actively chase after them. Making a list of you inner most ambitions will be the driving force of actually accomplishing them. Don't let self-doubt and the fear of failure get in your way. As long as you keep working hard and fighting like hell, YOU will succeed.
Forgive yourself. You know that thing you did one time (or maybe a few times) that made you feel bad, embarrassed, ashamed? It’s time to let that go. You can’t change the things you have done in the past but you can control your future. Look at it as a learning experience and believe in your ability to change.
Dance it out. We often take ourselves too seriously and never let ourselves just be silly. A dance party for one is the perfect way to let out any tension and have fun. You may look like a fool but trust me, you'll have a smile on your face.
Be open. Being honest and open with your emotions, not just with yourself but with others, will help you come to terms with negatives in your life. Even just reminding those you're close to that you cherish them will give you a surge of happiness. This will also remind you that although you are capable of being alone, you don't have to be.
Because YOU are special, YOU are worthy, and YOU deserve utter happiness.
