Small Acts of Self-Love That You Should be Practicing Every Day

Practicing self-love is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Self-love can come in many different forms, from speaking affirmations about yourself in the mirror, to eating a healthy diet and exercising, or even giving yourself a “spa night” of sorts every so often.

Self-love doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical practice. It can be purely mental as well; feeding yourself with thoughts of positivity and kindness. The overarching lesson here is that you need to be practicing self-love daily because you deserve to feel your very best each and every day.

It doesn’t take much to encourage these positive feelings either. All you have to do is find one or two small practices that make you feel good about yourself and that you truly enjoy spending your time doing. Read on for some simple ideas on how you can start making more time to love yourself.

Hygiene

Each morning, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get into a routine. Before you start your day, be sure to brush your teeth, wash your face, and comb your hair. Try putting on just a little bit of makeup if that is something that you think would improve your mood and confidence. Finally, get dressed. Put on something that makes you feel comfortable and confident. These simple activities will help set you up for a day of success and self-love.

Some days (or every day given the current global pandemic), it can be challenging to push ourselves to try and get into a morning and/or evening routine. If we aren’t going to see anyone that day, then what is the point of getting ready for the day at all? The answer is you.

You are the reason why you should take care of yourself each day. It doesn’t matter who you may or may not see, or what you have going on that day. Taking the time to care for yourself and your hygiene is a necessary step in your self-love practice.

Get to know what you like and what makes you feel your best each day. For some, this might mean performing an extensive skincare regimen using high-quality skincare treatments that serve to target their unique skin concerns and enhance their overall look. Others, however, may find comfort in getting completely dressed for the day, no matter what their plans are. Regardless, finding what makes you feel your best every day and sticking to it is an essential act of self-love that no one can afford to skip.

Movement

As much as you may dread the thought of exercising, physical movement is an essential way to practice self-love. Moving your body not only releases endorphins, but is also a great way to focus on just yourself and how you feel for a small portion of the day.

You can make your workouts as simple or as complex as you like. A long walk at a slow pace, or a simple online yoga class are options to move your body in a low-impact way, while still getting in that much-needed daily movement.

If you want to take things to the next level, try a guided workout class like Pilates. You could even get a gym membership if you want to make serious progress in your fitness journey. Any amount of physical activity on a daily basis will benefit your body and mind. This is why it is so important to make time for movement each day. Carving out just 30 minutes to an hour a day to get active and spend some time alone is a perfect way to improve your relationship with yourself, from the inside-out.

Diet

The fuel you feed your body has a great deal to do with your feelings toward yourself. Food has the power to completely change your energy level and your mood. The healthier you eat, the better you feel. Keeping up a diet that is rich in nutrients will help your body perform its best, while feeling your best.

The flip side to this is that sometimes you don’t feel like eating perfectly healthy all the time– and that’s okay! Every now and again, everyone deserves to enjoy a bite of rich chocolate cake or another sweet treat, so don’t beat yourself up about it! Go ahead and eat up! Loving yourself means treating yourself when you want and need it. A healthy diet is all about balance, just like your self-love practices. Most days you will go the extra mile for yourself, but other days you fall short– that’s what makes you human. Take the process slowly, and allow yourself to enjoy it the whole way through.