Learning to like yourself shouldn’t be a task but a treat. We should not dread getting out of bed for the sake of facing another defeated look in the mirror. I’m going to share with you some of the tips and benefits you get from learning to like yourself. As you start to use some of these tips daily, you will find that getting up will become a joy. No longer will you find yourself avoiding meeting new people but excited to share your new found view of liking who you are. This may take some getting used to, but the benefits are priceless!
1. Self acceptance leads to self love. Self acceptance is one of the key components of learning to like yourself. This means that your self talk must be positive and, most importantly, it must build you up. You must be careful with the words that you use towards yourself and take negative words like, “I look ugly”, or “I’m too tall”, or even “I would like myself if…” out of your vocabulary. They are self-inflicted jots of pain that we consciously and unconsciously use towards ourselves. You must also be careful not to keep score on your failures and your successes. You can learn from both, but you must refrain from assessing who you are based off your failures and successes. Self acceptance means being okay with who you are right at that moment.
2. Building your confidence. Confidence is another key part in liking yourself. Confidence is something that starts on the inside and can be seen on the outside. One of the biggest tips that I can give you is to not compare yourself to other people. There will always be someone who has greater accomplishments, looks better, or is even more thoughtful than you, but that should not diminish who you are. Do not measure yourself by who and what others do. You must also make a conscious decision to change the way you look at and think of others. As you judge others harshly, so will you judge yourself. If you have any negative thoughts of others (it may be how they look, how smart they are or are not, etc.), then change those thoughts into something positive. The more positive you are about others, the more positive and confident you will become about yourself. Also, comparing yourself to others is being a true Debbie Downer. Instead of seeing what someone has better than you, find the commonality that you share.
3. Perfection is not necessary. There’s nothing wrong with trying to better yourself. It’s the thing you should work on each day, but you have to keep it in perspective. You can’t rate your self-worth on bettering yourself. Nobody in the world is perfect and not being perfect doesn’t mean that you aren’t good enough. It just means that you are normal. When you are feeling down, think about all the things that you do great. It will give you a big boost. Do the very best that you can, but don’t hold yourself to an unreasonable bar of perfection.
4. Gratitude helps your attitude. People who tend to be grateful are more likely to have better attitudes, are likely to help other people, and are happy for others. Being grateful for who you are and what you do removes the desire to be envious of others and what they have accomplished. Instead, you can celebrate their successes with them. As you continue to practice gratitude, your attitude continues to become more positive and liking yourself becomes second nature. If you want to give your self esteem a daily boost, keep a daily gratitude journal. Write down things that happened that day for which you are grateful. It can be big or something as simple as, “I woke up and I am excited to see the sun is shining.” On those days when you might be feeling a little down, open up your journal and give your day that attitude of gratitude. You might even want to call a friend and let them know what you are grateful for as a daily routine to give yourself and her a boost.
5. Treat your body right. Treating your body right isn’t just about looking good. It’s about caring for your body from the inside out. The better you take care of the inside of your body, it will not only look good on the outside but it will also eliminate a lot of stress from your life. There are three must haves for treating your body right:
- Eating right. If possible, consult a nutritionist to find out the right foods for your body. Each person is different and requires different things at times to keep your body in its best shape, inside and out. Avoiding sugar, flour, and salt will not only help you to look better, but you will feel better too. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and protein. Limit your carbohydrate intake (but don’t get rid of it entirely!)
- Get your proper rest. I don’t think we realize how important it is to get the proper amount of sleep. The benefits are priceless. You awake with the energy that you need to get you through the day without feeling sluggish. It boosts your immune system, and helps alleviate depression and many ailments. Make it a daily habit to get about 8 or 9 hours of sleep each night and a power nap during the day.
- Drinking water. Your body needs a lot of water to function properly. Without the proper amount of water, you may experience dehydration, which can lead to headaches, fatigue, and limited mental faculties. Make it a daily habit to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water.
Have you heard the phrase “Fake it until you make it?” Act like you like yourself, get up in the morning and tell yourself “I like myself” over and over again. If you do it enough, your brain will start to believe it to be true!
What do you do daily to like yourself more? Share with us in the comments section below.
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