When I we young, I believed that nobody would love me if I didn’t love myself. I would act as if I had confidence in myself and that I was always a happy person. But beneath the surface, I was depressed and had very low regard for myself. I thought I was born depressed, and that self-love was out of my reach.
But as I grow older, I realized self-love can be learned and practiced, and its importance goes far beyond acquiring love from others.
Before we go any further, let’s define what self-love means. Self-love means having a high regard for your own well-being and happiness. It means to get in touch with yourself and not scarifying your health, happiness, and prosperity to please others.
However, it can mean a different thing for each person because we all have different ways of taking care of ourselves.
If you’re new in your journey to practice self-love, you can begin to make time for yourself instead of always attending to the needs of others.
Two Ways to Make Time for Yourself
- Learn to Say No.
Saying no doesn’t mean you’re uncaring or selfish. Instead, it means you respect yourself and the person you say no to. Because you’re being honest: this is needed in a respectful and healthy relationship.
- Take Time Away from Your Responsibilities and Commitments
By this, I don’t mean you’ve to neglect your responsibilities and commitments. You can start taking time outdoors in the fresh air by incorporating these into your office short break.
If you are a housewife, you can start taking a nap when you are tired or choose something interesting to do instead of just doing all the household chores. It will make your day more pleasant.
A final reminder, self-love is not uncaring or selfish. Start your first step today by making time for yourself.