8 Ways to Love Yourself Fiercely (Your Health Will Thank You)

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8 Ways to Love Yourself Fiercely (Your Health Will Thank You) Title Card. In the background a woman looks up to the left and smiles. Palm trees and a grey sky can be seen behind her

Hello Lovelies:

Do you love yourself wholeheartedly? If I asked you to list all of the things that you adore about yourself would you be able to fill a page with all of your goodness?

Self-love can be hard, right?

We aren’t exactly taught about the importance of loving ourselves…

But what if I told you that self-love makes you feel damn good while also supporting your heart, immune system and mental health? Totally cool right?

Self-love really is all win! So let’s talk about it and look into ways that you can work on loving yourself bunches:

Before We Get Started

Working on self-love? Prioritizing you-time and self-care activities that help you feel more connected with yourself can be a huge help.

So I made you a free Self-Love Activities E-Book to help you get started.

You’ve got bonus content and activity suggestions to help beautiful you out. Simply fill out the form below and it will fly off to your inbox <3.

Why I Make Self-Love a Priority

Sara stands outside in the greenery. She's pulled down a tree branch to smell the flowers, but took a moment to look back and smile at the camera.

My 8 year Graves Disease diagnosis anniversary recently passed and I was trying to think about the best way to honour it. My diagnosis date is something I celebrate. Many of the changes that this disease ushered in were incredibly positive. And I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. So, weirdly enough, I’m grateful.

And the thing I am most grateful for is the amazing, unconditionally loving and supportive relationship that bloomed. That relationship is the one I have with me (although – kudos to my amazing, supportive husband and all of his help, encouragement and love along the way <3. I couldn’t have made it to this wonderful place without you!)

Shock and awe; it all comes back to Graves Disease. Is that even a surprise anymore? This autoimmune disease taught me so much, but the greatest lesson (the one that opened the doors to everything else) was to love myself with all my heart.

A close up of someone's hands place on their chest, over their heart.

Self-love is the reason I eat the way I do. It’s the reason I take a bath at the end of a long day and get lost in a good book. When I meditate, when I do yoga, when I go for a nice long walk, or just put my feet up and do nothing… it’s all in the name of self-love.

Self-love is the foundation of Health-Esteem! And while I am so excited for you to embrace the self care tips and healthy lifestyle activities that feel right to you, my main message has always been this – love yourself. Love yourself irrevocably, fiercely, wholeheartedly. That love will inspire you to take the steps that are right for your needs, including any steps you take in the name of your health.

Related: Celebrating 5 Years with Graves Disease and Tips to Build Your Best Life

What Does It Even Mean to Love Yourself

A bouquet of orange and purple tulips lays on a white backdrop. Beside them sits a piece of paper with the word "love."

According to Clinical Psychologist Deborah Khoshaba, Psy.D., self-love is a state of appreciation for yourself that grows when your actions support your physical, psychological and spiritual growth and well-being.

“When we act in ways that expand self-love in us, we begin to accept much better our weaknesses as well as our strengths, have less need to explain away our short-comings, have compassion for ourselves as human beings struggling to find personal meaning, are more centered in our life purpose and values, and expect living fulfillment through our own efforts.” (source)

It’s pretty wonderful to know that when you prioritize your well-being and care about your needs self-love blooms! And when you have an abundance of self-love you start to treat yourself with more kindness and compassion.

Self-love helps you recognize that you are just as worthy of goodness as those around you. It lets you center yourself, allowing you to make decisions from a caring place and changing your entire outlook.

A woman smiles while flipping her hair back joyfully.

On top of all that goodness, when you try to learn to love yourself fiercely you begin to realize that you don’t need to be some mythical better version of yourself to be worthy of love. You are worthy of love just as you are, right now, beautiful flaws and all.

When someone asks me where to start when they’re looking into embracing healthy lifestyle changes working on loving yourself fiercely is always my answer.

Self-love is the true foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

Related: How To Make ‘Self-Partnered’ Your Awesome New Relationship Status

Why Loving Yourself Should Be A Priority

A woman stands in a field of purple flowersr. She looks up towards the big blue sky and closes eyes, as if enjoying the sunshine.

How exactly does self-love earn such a prime spot in building a healthy lifestyle? Because everything falls into place around it. The driving force behind our actions is what truly give us power. And when it comes to lasting healthy changes, love is the most powerful thing of all.

There are so many “health programs” out there aimed at creating insecurities within the general population and/or cashing in on them by offering a “fix”.

We see it all the time – “Get the perfect beach body”, “lose tons of weight fast”, “tone your stomach with this ridiculously expensive piece of equipment you don’t actually need”. That last one wasn’t an actual quote from something, but you totally get me eh?

What happens when we follow those strict protocols?

We often feel incredibly restricted and eventually go right back to our old habits. This system certainly doesn’t build lasting healthy changes. And where do we find ourselves in the end? Right back where we started, potentially nursing some pretty awful insecurities (no thanks to you, societal beauty standards!)

But when you love yourself you’re better able to make lasting healthy changes. You keep your own best interest at heart. Self-care becomes a priority because you respect and see to your needs. You feed yourself with kindness because you know that you deserve it. And speak to yourself nicely because you know that you don’t deserve to be talked down to.

It’s like you have this super amazing bestie by your side at all times, making sure that you feel loved, cared for and at home in your own skin. Because you do! You’re stuck with yourself always darling, your relationship with you should be a top priority.

How Does Self-Love Affect Your Health

A group of pink and orange balloons. Some have smiling faces drawn on, while others have frowns.

When you love yourself your brain changes! Which is totally mind blowing and super cool (at least, this huge nerd thinks so!) People who love and accept themselves tend to have more grey matter in the parts of their brains that control emotion and stress. What does more grey matter have to offer? It makes us better able to cope with stress and negative emotions. Totally amazing, right? (source)

But it just keeps getting better, because that goodness extends even further to the parts of the brain that processes anxiety! That doesn’t mean you’ll be anxiety and stress-free. That’s impossible. But your much loved brain will be better able to help you work your way through it. And isn’t that amazing? (source 1, source 2)

And if there are any other chronic illness warriors out there, studies show that self-love can help to reduce health-related anxiety too. This Graves Disease thriver thinks that’s one amazing bonus! (source)

10 red roses lay on a black backdrop. Above them is a letterboard that says "Love Yourself."

On top of that, feeling good about yourself benefits your immune system and cardiovascular health! One study showed that changes in self-esteem have an almost immediate effect on the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and it’s influence on the heart. And I bet that you can guess that positive changes in self-esteem led to a positive effect on the PNS!

In case you aren’t overly familiar with the parasympathetic nervous system (I know I wasn’t), its job is to slow and calm the heart, ease stress and reduce inflammation. It’s the opposite of the fight of flight response, which is ruled by the sympathetic nervous system. And if the PNS is underactive you may develop heart issues or autoimmune diseases in the future. Self-love is sounding more and more awesome by the minute, am I right?

How Do We Work On Self-Love?

A white graphic decorated with teal blue lines and a quote that says "In a society that profits from your self doubt, liking yourself is a rebelious act - Racel Brather." On the bottom it says mshealthesteem.com

There are a few things you need to consider when working on self-love. Leon F. Seltzer, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and the author of Paradoxical Strategies in Psychotherapy says this:

“You need to recognize that given your defenses, blind spots, insecurities, and the harmful things you may have been exposed to, you really are doing the best you can—and have been all along. Additionally, you need to stop evaluating yourself according to standards that don’t really fit who you are, or what you can realistically expect of yourself.” (source)

Dr. Seltzer believes that the best truly unconditionally loving relationship you can ever have is with yourself. And it’s about far more than self-esteem, which is more about valuing the worthwhile attributes we bring to the table (still a good thing, by the way).

A woman in a beautiful, red belly dancer outfit rests on leg on a wooden swing and holds the rope with her left hand. She looks off to the right. A corn field can be seen in the background.

Self-love blends self-esteem with self-compassion and self-acceptance. It’s about celebrating your value, adoring your uniqueness, acknowledging your faults, recognizing your weaknesses and fully accepting it all. Because all of that adds up to you! And aren’t you wonderful as you are? I think so!

Related: 8 Ways to Work on Self-Acceptance (And a Free Self-Love Affirmations List)

Self-love isn’t always easy. Some days you might feel awesome and love yourself wholeheartedly. Other times that inner mean girl might talk a bit louder than usual, leaving you feeling a less than fantastic. Your relationship with yourself is just like any other relationship. It takes time, effort and care. There will be good and bad days, and that’s ok.

It’s imperative that we recognize that self-love is a continuous journey, not a destination. The most important thing is that you make a choice to work on loving and accepting yourself, as you are. Once you’ve made the commitment to love yourself everything else can start to fall into place.

8 Ways To Work On Self-Love

A small flag that says "The magic is in you" is decorated by a green, leafy plant.

When you prioritize your relationship with yourself you can build something truly magical! And you seriously deserve that. There is no relationship more permanent and long lasting than the one you will have with yourself, so let’s make it a good one!

Here are a few ways that you can love yourself fiercely:

1. Learn to be Mindful

Connecting with yourself means developing a keen awareness of what you think, feel and want. Think of it as a great opportunity to get to know yourself. This allows you to be more mindful of who you are and make decisions based on what works for you rather than what you think others might expect or want from you.

A woman holds her hands up above her hand, arms twisted in a yoga pose. The sun shines in the space between her face and her hands.

2. Try To Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

Comparison truly is the thief of joy (thanks for that gem Theodore Roosevelt!) It’s hard to feel good about yourself if you’re constantly measuring yourself up against others. They’ve got their own unique goodness happening and you have yours. It’s apples and oranges baby!

Not to mention, when you look at the accomplishments of others you often see their wins, not the struggles and hard work that went into getting there. So instead of getting a bad case of comparison-itis and feeling inferior, get inspired. Allow your admiration to fuel you, not drain you.

If you find yourself feeling bad and in the middle of a comparison game, ask yourself why? Are there dreams you aren’t chasing? Old wounds that need healing? This can be a great opportunity for self-compassion, which is a huge part of self-love. <3

A woman places her hand on a window covered with rain droplets. Her hand blocks most of her face, but she appears to be smiling.

3. Make Time for Yourself

This one can be difficult! We’re taught not to put ourselves first, because that would be selfish (which I totally don’t see as a bad word btw). But why not put yourself first sometimes too? Don’t you deserve the same time, dedication, love and respect that you give to those around you? Heck yes you do!

In fact, when you are present for yourself everyone benefits. Self-care helps to prevent you from feeling stressed, drained or simply burnt out. Which means there’s a lot more goodness to go around! When you make time for yourself you’re better able to be present for others.

Put a little time aside for you everyday for the self-care activities and hobbies that make you feel good. It can make a world of difference.

And if meditation is one of your go to self care activities, focus on the things you love about yourself while you meditate. Trust me, that builds some awesome self-love vibes.

a woman looks up to the left and smiles. Palm trees cand a grey sky can be seen behind her

4. Stop Negative Self-Talk in it’s Tracks

We all have an inner mean girl that really didn’t get the whole “if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all” memo. And even when you do create a beautiful, loving relationship with yourself she may still pop up from time to time. But you have to take her megaphone away.

The biggest bully in your life shouldn’t live in your head. Try to acknowledge negative self-talk without judgment or anger and respond with kindness or let it go. If this seems bonkers, try to imagine if you would say the same thing to someone else (or allow someone who talked to you that way to be a big part of your life). No, right?

When we realize how vindictive and ridiculous our inner mean girl can be it’s easier to take away her power.

A view of someone sitting, facing away from the camera staring off at the horizon. Fields and hills can be seen in the distance.

5. Drop Your Frenemies

If your inner mean girl doesn’t deserve to hang out with you, frenemies shouldn’t be part of your entourage either. If someone takes pride in dulling your shine you are far better off without them. Protecting yourself is loving yourself after all.

6. Accept that You are Uniquely Imperfect

This all goes back to realizing that you don’t need to be some mythical better version of yourself to be worthy of love. There will never be a you that is without fault. There’s no version of anyone that is without fault (yes, even amazing Beyonce has her imperfections!)

Relieving yourself of the impossibility of being perfect is such an incredible kindness. The pressure of perfection is not kind, it doesn’t cheer you on and it never truly leads you forward. And it has no place with you on your self-love journey.

A crosswalk sign with the words STOP and a stick figure. The blue sky can be seen in the background

7. Set Boundaries.

Boundaries are everything, love. Be clear with yourself (and whoever else needs to know) about your limits. Say no when you need to – to work, to company, to activities that drain you. You can’t do everything, and you certainly aren’t an Energizer bunny that’s always ready to go. It’s ok to say no and put those feet up.

8. Forgive Yourself

We all make mistakes. It goes back to that whole perfectly imperfectly idea. And hey, it’s great to take responsibility for your actions. But goodness, can we ever be hard on ourselves.

But being hard on yourself doesn’t build love. It doesn’t even allow you to grow and learn quite as much as you could if you simply acknowledged, accepted and moved forward. Let go, forgive yourself and move ahead. The relief alone is totally worth it!

Ready to love yourself wholeheartedly? Tell me what you love about yourself in the comments. Have any advice you would add to the list? Share your goodness with us! Looking forward to reading your lovely thoughts.

Health and love,

sara-signature

Thought of the day: I am worthy of unconditional self-love.

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Share The Love!

Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

Sara Flanagan is a wellness writer and the creator of www.mshealthesteem.com, where she shares her story of being diagnosed with Graves Disease, a chronic autoimmune disease, and empowering herself to do everything she can to thrive in spite of her diagnosis. She writes articles on self-love, acceptance, wellness and nutrition. Join the Health-Esteem Family today and share in the journey.

64 Comments

  1. Reply

    emaliejacobs

    May 9, 2018

    This was fabulous! I honestly love this post and will be sharing it because it is a subject we don’t talk about enough. People have a tendency to forget about how important they are. They worry about everyone else and forget to take care of themselves. Great Post!
    P.S. great layout of a post

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      I couldn’t agree with you more Emalie! Self Love is so important and yet rarely talked about. It’s truly a shame. I’m so happy you agree <3. We are all so worthy and deserving of love, especially our own.

      And thank you so much for you compliment on the layout! I'm so grateful. Makes my day! <3 Sending tons of love your way hun.

  2. Reply

    Mirley Guerra Graf

    May 9, 2018

    I love this! Setting boundaries is so important! I don’t think people understand the significance of setting boundaries.

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      It’s so true Mirley! I know I had a hard time learning to say no to certain things when I really wanted to. But what a relief. We can’t and shouldn’t have to do everything after all. Boundaries are incredibly important! 🙂 I’m happy that that’s a priority for you too. We all need it!

  3. Reply

    nicolestrychaz

    May 9, 2018

    I always love when even studies show that self love is important. Great topic!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Isn’t it incredible Nicole? It blows my mind! I make a point to share legitimate sources and do tons of research, because I think that sometimes people think that things like this aren’t actually proven to help us. But that couldn’t be more wrong. It’s amazing and it’s so beautiful. Love does wonders 🙂

  4. Reply

    Em

    May 9, 2018

    This was truly wonderful, and exactly what I needed this week! Thank you! xo

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      That makes me so happy Em! I’m glad it found you. Sending tons of love your way girl. You’re truly an amazing human being <3

  5. Reply

    notquitesupermommn

    May 9, 2018

    I love this, exactly what I need to read!! We absoultely need to make loving ourselves a priority and stop comparing ourselves to others. We all have our own journey. <3

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Exactly! No one’s on the same the path. We all need to find our way and realize that we have really overcome so much and are making incredible strides. And we are all worthy of love. <3 So happy you think so too hun. ^^

  6. Reply

    Annie

    May 9, 2018

    Love this post so much! We’re all a work in progress 🙂 x

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      And we are so beautiful as we are :). Thank you so much for sharing your goodness Annie! <3

  7. Reply

    Ashley

    May 9, 2018

    I struggle with number 2, especially in the digital world that we live in but I know your words are SO true – thank you for the reminders!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      You definitely aren’t alone Ashley! I get cases of comparison-itis sometimes too. It’s normal! I don’t think we can ever hit delete on that part of our brains. But if we’re mindful, when it happens we can take a moment to realize that we’re only seeing someone’s highlights, that they have struggles too and that it’s truly apples and oranges. I find it’s also a real opportunity to work with yourself to see where those insecurities are coming from and how you can respond to them in a healthy way.

      I’ve learned that a lot of my comparison-itis moments can be turned into admiration and leaning opportunities. I’ve used that to learn more about things like blogging and food photography and better myself. Instead of draining myself I’ve turned it into fueling myself. Mindfulness and self-examination and compassion can really do wonders.

      But no one’s perfects. Just respond in love and things are always much better. Sending tons your way and wishing you well as you work on it <3.

  8. Reply

    Jasmin | VeeatCookBake

    May 9, 2018

    This is so awesome. I love it. You are so right. We should all a bit more selfish….

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Heck yea Jasmin! Taking care of ourselves and putting our needs high on our priority list isn’t wrong. We deserve it and we need it. Sending so much love your way gorgeous <3.

  9. Reply

    V at LoveBecomesHer

    May 9, 2018

    i just love your outlook on your story, it’s beautiful.

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Thank you so much V! It took time but I am so glad I made the decision to make self love a priority and find my way here. 🙂 And I’m so touched by your words. Thank you V! 🙂

  10. Reply

    Kristin

    May 9, 2018

    These are some really great tips. It can be so hard to work on self esteem and self love.

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      It absolutely can be Kristin! But it’s so worth it. And I think it’s really important that we know that it’s a continuous journey, not a destination. The most significant step is simply making self love a priority and working on it. That’s how we get there. And we are all so worthy of it! Hope there’s tons of self love in your life hun <3.

  11. Reply

    cassiect

    May 9, 2018

    I love that I try to see the good in people, including myself :). My advice would be to lessen the amount of comparing we do with others. There’s always more too a story than we see. Thanks for the encouragement!!!!!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Those are beautiful traits Cassie! And I love that it extends to yourself too. That’s fantastic <3. I also couldn't agree with you more - we are all on our own journeys. Comparison really is the thief of joy <3. Thank you so much for sharing your goodness with us hun!

      • Reply

        cassiect

        May 15, 2018

        ?

  12. Reply

    eehornburg

    May 10, 2018

    DROP YOUR FRENEMIES! Girl, this is one that I always have to reteach myself! I’m a people-pleaser just “GOSH I WANT EVERYONE TO LIKE ME.” So I tend to settle for those half friendships.

    Aint nobody got time for that!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Oh my goodness, I feel you hun. Accepting that no everyone will like you for you is not an easy one at all. But it’s totally ok. It’s also really hard to end a friendship, even when it isn’t a healthy one. But you are so full of goodness and deserve people who adore you just the way you are. <3 Wishing you well as you drop those frenemies darling! There definitely isn't time for that in life ^^.

  13. Reply

    helpmamameditate

    May 10, 2018

    Self love is vital! I love that you wrote about its importance. Practicing mindfulness and meditation has been eye opening for me. I’m learning how to pause and stop comparing myself to others and I’m also working on not being so hard on myself. I used to mentally scold myself throughout the day! It’s definitely a practice but a worthwhile one.

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Aren’t mindfulness and meditation such wonderful tools to help though? I love everything that you share on those subjects Jen! Thank you for always sharing the importance of self care and self love. Your message is amazing. I’m so glad you’ve found your way to such a wonderful path and share it with others. <3

  14. Reply

    Mama Doc

    May 12, 2018

    Wonderful!! Dropping frenemies was a big one I learned many years ago! I think for most of us, the stop comparing yourself to others is always a work in progress. It’s almost second nature to look to the side and see what others are doing! Thanks for the super helpful advice!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      I absolutely agree Michelle! I think in general self love is so hard. But it’s also so important that we prioritize it and work on it. Even if there is no ultimate destination the journey is wonderful and we all deserve to experience it.

      Even my inner mean girl and comparison-itis still pop up from time to time. I’ve just learned to be mindful of it, to listen without judgement and respond it kindness. It really takes their power away. But it’s always a work in progress!

      I hope your self love journey is going wonderfully too hun! So happy you dropped those frenemies. Such a lovely kindness towards yourself. <3

  15. Reply

    Elly's diary

    May 12, 2018

    I love this post! <3 So heartwarming! Self love is so incredibly important, and it is always good to stop for a moment and take time to remind ourselves that we count! <3 I am a "self overwhelming person"…so I really have to tell myself to slow down. I appreciate how driven and hard working I am…but at times I should just take time to unwind to love myself more! <3

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      I’m so glad you liked this post Elly! That means so much to me. Thank you!

      I think your drive is so wonderful and I love all of the goodness you share. Such a great trait. But I am also so glad that you recognize the need to slow down and unwind too. That’s hard (I feel ya – the blogging world moves especially fast, right?) But we all need that too.

      I hope you treat yourself to some downtime tonight. I know I’ll be doing your morning yoga routine tomorrow ;). Sending tons of love your way hun!

  16. Reply

    Ashley Roberts

    May 12, 2018

    Stress highly effects the body especially the heart. I’ve read so many studies your right on! Love this! Thanks for all the tips to practice self love especially not to compare ourselves to others and forgive. Love your article!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Isn’t it amazing Ashley! I think many of us forget that it’s truly scientifically proven that de-stressing and being kind to yourself does wonders for your well-being. It’s awe inspiring!

      And I am so happy you enjoyed the tips, thank you! We are all so worthy of self love. And yet we rarely talk about it. I think it’s important to have conversations like these and normally adoring yourself. <3 Happy it resonated with you!

  17. Reply

    Jamie L Reinhart

    May 12, 2018

    I think forgiving myself is the hardest one to follow! I over analyze everything I say or do!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      You’re speaking to a fellow analyzer! That trait can be really amazing and really difficult at the same time. Being analytical has it’s upsides after all, but when it’s directed inward and gives your inner mean girl a megaphone it’s not so awesome.

      I’ve found that gratitude journaling and including things I love about myself has helped a lot personally. I’m a writer, so writing everything down and making positivity and gratitude journaling a regular self care activity has been a huge help. Especially with my overthinking brain! Is there something that you think would work well for you? If you haven’t tried gratitude journal I highly recommend giving it a go. 🙂

      Sending tons of love your way! Know that your analytical nature is also a wonderful, beautiful thing. It just has a few icky side effects. But you can definitely work with it and find a way to respond in kindness. I believe in you Jamie!

  18. Reply

    lexineffect

    May 13, 2018

    I recently started making more time for myself by starting a bedtime routine and it has made such a difference. I feel good about my self, am more well rested, and less stressed!

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      That is so awesome Lex! I’m really happy to hear that. You truly deserve it ^^. Isn’t it amazing how a bedtime routine really paves the way to a more relaxed morning and a better day? I feel the same way 🙂

  19. Reply

    Criddlemethis

    May 13, 2018

    Looking after yourself and your mental health is so important for physical health! I just need to remember that a little more often sometimes 😉

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      You’ve hit the nail right on the head Cristina! Heck yea! Our mental health is so important and ultimately has a huge effect our on physical well-being. It all matters. And we deserve to prioritize ourselves so that we can take awesome care of ourselves. 🙂 So true!

  20. Reply

    Mom

    May 14, 2018

    Hi Sweetie – you always touch on something I need to hear. Thank you Love your face. Mom

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      Just returning the favour ;). Love you so much mama. I’m so grateful that I get to be your baby forever. <3

  21. Reply

    Marisa Barnard

    May 14, 2018

    I really love this article. Thank you for being so honest and open! Self-love is a difficult, yet beautiful journey. Thank you for sharing! 🙂

    Xx Marisa | Mindfully Glam

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 15, 2018

      I’m so happy to hear that Marisa! You’re so welcome. I think that we really need to talk more openly and honestly about things like self love. It’s so important for our mental and physical well-being and yet we rarely talk about it. Nor are we taught to make it a priority. But it truly should be and we are all so incredibly worthy of self love. Hope your life is filled to the brim with it darling! Sending tons of love your way <3

  22. Reply

    Camesha | Mama Motivator

    May 18, 2018

    This is so awesome. I love how you’ve focused on the positives that have come from Graves disease. That’s an incredible way to look at the things that come at us in life. If we look, there can be positives from most of our circumstances.

    As for loving yourself, I agree, setting boundaries is a major one for me. Learning to say no and being ok with that was a big one too.

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 23, 2018

      Thank you so much Camesha! I totally agree – there’s almost always a silver lining if we’re willing to look for it. 🙂

      I had such a hard time learning how to set boundaries and say no too. But it’s incredible how amazing those two acts of self love can be for our well-being, eh? I’m happy you’ve made that a priority as well. <3 Wishing you well! ^^

  23. Reply

    Mel

    May 21, 2018

    Thanks this is such a helpful post. I like that it has some very practical steps, as self love is easier said than done, but having some clear steps definitely helps 🙂

    • Reply

      Sara

      May 23, 2018

      You are so welcome Mel! I’m really happy you enjoyed it. I hope that these little tips are a big help <3. Self love is definitely a big commitment but it is so incredibly worth it! Sending tons of love your way darling! ^^

  24. Reply

    Angela @ Stray Curls

    July 11, 2018

    Hey Sara,

    I was poking through your blog and I’m so in love. ❤ I feel this particular habit is seriously overlooked because most of us focus on everything except ourseves.

    I definitely need to work on mindfulness and self-care. I am constantly pre-occupied with either work or my dogs. And I've gotten so used to it that I can't see it any other way. I picked up Yoga for a week but I quit because it was really tiring.

    I'm going to take it up again. Thank you Sara! I really needed this.

    Warm regards,
    Angela

  25. Reply

    Sara

    July 18, 2018

    Hiya Angela <3

    I am so happy to hear that! Thank you! You've made my entire day :).

    And I couldn't agree more! I don't think that we're really taught about the importance of self love or how to cultivate a loving relationship with ourselves. But it's absolutely the foundation of a healthy lifestyle, in my opinion.

    Your dogs and your work are so lucky to have you! And I know that they will only benefit more if you take the time to rest, relax and tend to your own needs. That gives us more energy to provide for those around us and helps to prevent burnout. Everyone benefits when we love ourselves fiercely. And goodness does it ever feel wonderful!

    If yoga is tiring for you that's ok! It shouldn't feel like you have to create an exhausting list of things to do. Even if you simply start by allowing yourself time to read a good book with your feet up, take up journaling in some form or make time to cook yourself a delicious meal you are rocking it. Baby steps are ok. Listen to intuition and create a relationship with yourself that feels wonderful. It will be 100% unique to you.

    Even if something is healthy, that doesn't mean that it's necessarily good for you. We're all unique and our healthy lifestyle needs to reflect that.

    I'm so excited for you as you take this new step in your healthy lifestyle journey! I hope you find some self care activities that make you feel awesome and that this new focus on self love is totally uplifting. You're already on your way towards something wonderful 🙂

    Health and love,

    Sara

  26. Reply

    The JOYOUS Living | Influencer (@thejoyousliving)

    July 10, 2020

    the best advise you gave is — stop comparing yourself to others. well said!!

  27. Reply

    Brianne

    July 11, 2020

    I think this is something we all need help with. Even super confident people can sometimes struggle with loving themselves. We all have ways we could love ourselves better.

  28. Reply

    Bright snow Loveland

    July 11, 2020

    What an amazing post with a lot of wonderful informations. I really enjoyed Tim reading ur post on. Thanks for sharing

  29. Reply

    Marie

    July 11, 2020

    I am needing to pay attention to my health and well being so much more right now. I don’t get much extra time. But I am grateful to have what I need and then some and a family to love!

  30. Reply

    Steven Morrissette

    July 11, 2020

    I really like all the things you talk about in your article on self-love. I truly enjoy mindfulness and I practice it every day as my morning meditation for formal practice but also all throughout the day for everything that I do. So I have to add that practicing mindful being I have to learn to listen to my body and love myself the way it is. Thanks for sharing this wonderful post.

  31. Reply

    Ivana Mearns

    July 11, 2020

    I really enjoyed reading all your reflection, especially the part about the effect of self-love on our health.

  32. Reply

    Ronnie E.

    July 12, 2020

    For a short amount of time, I joined Instagram and found myself very quickly upset as I was unintentionally comparing myself to so many people there. Whether it was based on looks or what looked like an exciting and successful life, it was hard to not feel pale in comparison. So I left the platform and haven’t felt that way since… but it does make me scared for young people who grow up feeling this way.

  33. Reply

    Agnes Vazhure

    July 12, 2020

    This is something I need to hear right now. I really love all your good points here.

  34. Reply

    Sarah M

    July 12, 2020

    Yeah, self love is vital for our mental health. We should become strong enough to say ‘no’ to those who don’t want us to shine,

  35. Reply

    Tina basu

    July 12, 2020

    I totally agree with you on this. Making time for yourself, self love, self care are so important for your mental health and physical health.

  36. Reply

    emmandamian

    July 12, 2020

    i really want to read the Self-Love Activities E-Book soon. It’s very helpful for me. Thanks for spreading optimism!

  37. Reply

    Lovely

    July 13, 2020

    This is really amazing! It’s really important to put ourselves first

    xoxo
    Lovely

    http://mynameislovely.com

  38. Reply

    Ntensibe Edgar Michael

    July 15, 2020

    Mindfulness is very good. We all need it, if we are going to really love ourselves!

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Hiya! I’m Sara

I’m a wellness writer, Graves Disease thriver and self-love advocate.

And I’m passionate about empowering you to prioritize self-care and love yourself fiercely.

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