5 Small Changes Optimizing Self Love

Exercising. Drinking water. Healthy food choices. Eight hours of sleep. These are all important decisions that can improve your physical health and quality of life.

According to Medical News Today, your mental and emotional choices can also improve your health and happiness. Self love and self acceptance have actually been proven to keep physical illness at bay! Additionally, they allow people to fully enjoy all the experiences and pleasures that life has to offer. Check out these five simple changes that can help you show yourself more love.

Daily affirmations

Sometimes your brain just needs you to give it some instructions. According to mindbodygreen, affirmations are short phrases you can tell yourself that can help your subconscious catch up on your conscious needs. 

You can put these affirmations in your calendar, repeat them to yourself in the morning, paste particularly inspiring ones to the refrigerator with a magnet, or have a loved one text you the phrase at a critical point in the day. Why not serve your affirmations alongside a steaming hot cup of coffee and a croissant in the morning?

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Mindfulness and yoga

Sometimes peoplee are so distracted by the breadth of blessings in our lives that they don’t put aside time to appreciate themselves. Mindful practices and meditation can help people focus on these small joys and appreciate simple pleasures.

According to Medical News Today, pairing mindfulness with yoga allows you to experience the self-affirming  joy of physical movement and control over your body. Check out this video for a yoga routine that incorporates self love. The best part is you can do this from the comfort of your own home.

Stand up to your inner bully

If someone constantly criticized your friend, you would not stand for it. After all, empathy and appreciation are key components of friendship. You let our friends know they are needed and loved.

But sometimes you can forget that you are our own best friends and advocates. And if you don’t challenge our own inner critic heads on, nobody will do it for you. mindbodygreen recommends getting to know that little voice in your head that tries to minimize your power.

Once you can recognize what your inner critic sounds like, and you become self aware when you dabble in self critique, you can then begin to respond to this belittling voice. You can mock it, ignore it, or you can remind it to share its message in a kind and accepting manner. Bullying is unacceptable under all circumstances, even when it comes from your own psyche.

Set aside time to do something you love

You time differs from person to person. Sometimes it can be taking a long weekend holiday in a remote wooded cabin. For others, it can mean treating yourself to dinner at your favorite restaurant. Turning off your cell phone for the next hour, putting your feet up and relaxing with a glass of wine and your favorite novel can all be self love. 

Treating yourself to you time can even be engaging in an activity that you excel at. Do you love singing and dancing? Go out for karaoke night, or turn your shower into a one-man karaoke club. Writing, painting, cooking can all help you find yourcore talent and connect to your inner gifts.

Don’t ignore your physical needs

Food, sleep, water and exercise are the fuel that drive your mind to achieve beyond your potential. Making healthy choices promotes the brain-body connection. You can turn hese necessary physical nourishments into acts of self love, by accompanying them with self-reminders that youare making these choices because you value yourself

So when you turn off the lights at 10:30 PM, put on your cozy PJs  and snuggle up in bed, you are showing yourself love. Just becoming aware of this fact can help you count your blessings and prove your worth.