“Treat others the way you want to be treated.” This mantra has been recited over and over again by parents and teachers since we were little kids. However, have you ever considered treating yourself the way you treat others? Being kind to friends and peers can be easy, but it is not always as easy to treat ourselves kindly and with respect. Although many of us (myself included) have spent years neglecting the idea of self-love and spreading positivity to everybody but ourselves, it is not impossible to break this cycle of negativity. Here are some helpful ideas and tips that I have found useful in my adventure towards loving myself.
1. Treat yourself.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with giving yourself a gift. Buy a $2.50 face mask from Walmart, and spend your night relaxing! Remind yourself that you are important and deserve to have this relaxing time. If funds are tight (we’ve all been there) take a long shower and relax, or take a nap. It’s just important to remember that you deserve to relax and have some you time.
2. Tell your inner critic to shut up.
We are our own toughest critics, but sometimes our inner critics are just plain rude and insulting. While it’s important to have standards for ourselves, it is not okay for us to be mean to ourselves when we don’t always reach them. If you find yourself in a moment of self-inflicted criticism, pretend you are saying those words to a friend. Are they constructive? Are they kind? Do they have your friend’s best interest in mind? If the answer is no, tell your inner critic to shut up.
3. Stop comparing yourself to others.
The most important thing about you is that YOU ARE YOU! If you were different, the whole balance of the entire universe would be thrown off, and everyone would go flying into a black hole. Okay maybe that wouldn’t happen (I’m not scientist), but it is ridiculously important to embrace who we are. Comparing ourselves to others can only bring negativity into our lives. Sure, that girl you saw on Instagram may be super pretty, but her being pretty does not invalidate the fact that you are pretty as well. We all have our own special things about us, and we should embrace those while supporting everyone around us.
4. Get rid of that negative energy.
It is nearly impossible to love yourself if everyone surrounding you is telling you to do otherwise. These might be your best friends or even your significant other, but you shouldn’t let anyone bring you down. Maybe sit down with them and talk about why what they’re saying to you isn’t okay or why their actions are hurtful. Just a simple heart to heart chat may solve everything. If this doesn’t solve anything, it might be a good idea to reevaluate the people you surround yourself with.
5. Forgive yourself.
Nobody is perfect. You won’t always do your best, and that is completely okay. What isn’t okay is not forgiving yourself for making a mistake. Forgive yourself just as you would forgive anyone else in your life. You are human. You will make mistakes. You will make more mistakes after those. Love yourself. Allow yourself to be forgiven.