13 Acts of Self-Love That Will Make You Feel Wonderful

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Hello Lovelies:

Your relationship with yourself is a pretty big deal. That’s no surprise…

But do you ever struggle with self-love? Are you unsure of what to add to your self-love prescription? Or how to even put yourself first?

I feel you! And the truth is that self-love can seem pretty complicated sometimes. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be! Sometimes the smallest actions can have the biggest impact.

What you do to take care of yourself, comfort yourself and maintain a loving relationship with beautiful you matter. And the great news is that the simplest personal gestures often make the greatest long term impact.

Let’s take a peek at 13 awesome self-loving activities that can help. They’re gonna make you feel awesome! And they’re so simple they’ll slide right into your routine.

Ready to dive in? Let’s go!

Why Self-Love Matters

Self-love is more than just fuzzy good feels. But don’t just take my word for it! According to Dr. Deborah Khoshaba, who has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Health Psychology, it’s so important that you make self-love a priority:

“Self-love is important to living well. It influences who you pick for a mate, the image you project at work, and how you cope with the problems in your life. It is so important to your welfare that I want you to know how to bring more of it into your life.” (source)

Your relationship with yourself plays a pretty powerful role in your well-being! And it’s the true foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Everything comes together in a sustainable and healthy way when love for yourself is the true driving force.

Self-Love Supports Your Mental Well-Being

It helps to increase grey matter in the parts of your brain that control emotions and stress. Which means you’re better able to cope with stress and negative emotions. (source)

It supports the parts of the brain that process anxiety, helping you work your way through stressful times with a lot more ease. (source 1, source 2)

And self-love can also help reduce health-related anxiety for chronic illness warriors. That’s pretty magical! (source)

Even better, changes in self-esteem (a huge self-love bonus) have a super positive effect on the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and it’s influence on the heart. Keeping your beautiful ticker happy. (source)

See what I mean when that self-love supports your health?

Related: Why Is Self-Acceptance So Powerful? (And How To Work On It)

Self love isn’t always easy.

And that’s 100% ok. Your relationship with yourself is just like any other relationship. It takes time, effort and care. And it’s absolutely natural to struggle sometimes.

What matters is that you make it a priority. 

There’s no self-love destination. This is an ongoing journey you take with yourself. And self-love doesn’t demand perfection either. Just trying and taking baby steps is more than enough. You got this!

Let’s take a look at some pretty powerful ways to increase your feelings of self-love.

13 Acts of Self-Love That Will Make You Feel Wonderful

This list of goodness is focused on self-love inducing actions. Because actions are pretty darn powerful.

We’re talking about making time for the things that make you feel good, focusing on boosting your mood and feelings or self-connection and taping into your social support system.

Knowing that your needs are just as important as everyone else’s and deserves to be addressed are huge steps forward in your self-love journey. And you deserve it!

I know that 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 shouldn’t you put yourself first? You deserve the same time, dedication, love and respect that you give to those around you sweetheart.

It’s ok to make time for you and prioritize self-love.

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. Here are some ideas!

1. Feed Yourself With Kindness

Treat your beautiful self to a balance of foods that make you feel good. Cook yourself a special meal. Enjoy lunch with a friend. Savour some of your favourite desserts!

Food can make you feel awesome. It can strengthen social connections. Bring up the most wonderful feelings of nostalgia. There are so many ways that food can be part of your self-love language. So feed yourself with kindness sweet friend.

Related: Are These Healthy Eating Myths Holding You Back?

2. Enjoy a Moment of Solitude

Spend a little quality time with gorgeous you. Meditate, go for a walk and greet the sunshine, connect with yourself and set a tone of self-love. You are worthy of a moment in your own company.

3. Try Some Joyful Movement

Choose something that you enjoy, like yoga, strength training or just shaking that booty to your favourite jams. Whatever gets you moving and makes you happy. Joyful movement can do so much for your physical and mental well-being.

Related: 7 Easy Ways To Add On To Your Workout Routine

4. Treat Yourself To A Clay Face Mask

Clay masks are easy to make and yet they feel so decadent. It’s a small action of self-kindness that is just so darn lovely. And you can put those feet up and relax while it does it’s thing. Skin care, self-love and relaxation all in one.

5. Listen To Your Favourite Music

Who doesn’t love music? It’s just so incredible. And it turns out that music loves you back!

According to the smarties over at Harvard, music can:

• • Lower blood pressure
  • Slow the heart rate
  • Reduce levels of stress hormones and inflammatory cytokines
  • Relieve stress
  • Improve sleep quality
  • Reduce symptoms of depression and pain
  • Enhance our mood
  • Boost brain function
  • Lead to feelings of relaxation

So put in those headphones and give yourself a moment to enjoy your fave tunes. Boogy it up, lip sync for an imaginary audience, go for a walk, or just sit and take in the magic. Whatever feels best!

Related: How to Rock Your Self-Care Routine with Meditation Music

6. Try Some At Home Aromatherapy

Pop some essential oils in your diffuser and breathe in the goodness. Choose scents that relax you and/or make you feel good. And simply take a minute for yourself to enjoy the aroma and the wonderful feelings they create.

7. Do Something That Makes You Laugh

They don’t say laughter is the best medicine for no reason. It has this near-instant ability to make us feel amazing!

Have a giggle fest solo or with friends. Watch a snort-worthy movie. Turn on a comedy special and laugh like a loon. (I thought Lobby Baby by Seth Meyers was pretty darn hilarious… and you can never go wrong with John Mulaney or Iliza Shlesinger). Take a walk through funny memory lane with a loved one. Whatever makes you crack up is good for the soul.

8. Cuddle With Your Pets

Pets help heal and calm our bodies and make us feel instantly happier.

Just petting a dog lowers blood pressure and increases feelings of relaxation. And simply meeting your dog’s gaze can increase levels of oxytocin, a hormone that helps us form bonds with others and feel more positive. So quality time with the dogo is always a great idea! (source)

More of a cat person? A cat’s purr may help to support your bone density, muscle health and ability to heal. And time with your kitty can also relieve stress and symptoms of dyspnea, decrease your blood pressure and lower your risk of heart attacks. So kitty’s got it going on too! (source 1, source 2, source 3)

And it’s not just limited to dogs and cats. All of our pets have the ability to help support our well-being simply by being a part of our family. So get your cuddle on!

Related: The Awesome Health Benefits of Having a Pet

9. Soak In The Tub

Bees wax candles optional, but definitely recommended!

A nice bath can help to:

• • Elevate Mood and Increased Relaxation
  • Reduce Stress
  • Improve Sleep
  • Decrease Muscle Pain
  • Soothe Cold Symptoms
  • Might lessen Inflammation and Help Control Blood Sugar
  • Can Help Manage Chronic Pain
  • Create an opportunity For Self-Love

Make it extra special with a good book, a bath bomb and/or some essential oils. Spoil yourself. <3

Related: 6 Easy Recipes for an Amazingly Relaxing Bath

10. Prep For A Gentle Morning

Prepare for the morning so you don’t have to feel rushed while you greet the day. Rushing can set a stressful tone and definitely doesn’t start us off on the right foot. A little night time prepping can make a huge difference. Which is a pretty kind thing to do for morning you.

Related: How To Create a Calming Night Time Routine

11. Be Kind To Your Skin

Take the time to appreciate your fantastic skin and your gorgeous body. Whether it be through a regular moisturizing routine, dry brushing, massage, homemade skin care goodies or something completely different, taking a minute to love the skin you’re in and be kind to yourself can be a fantastic opportunity for self-connection. How awesome is that?!

Related: How To Create An Awesome Skin Care Routine

12. Take A Nap

Naps are amazing! They can help you feel more relaxed, reduce stress and alert and boost your mood. Plus they boost creativity and productivity and even help you learn. So if you’re sleepy and need to catch a few extra Zzz, give yourself permission to rest. (source)

13. Spend Time With Loved Ones

Spend some time with the people you love. We cannot go it alone. Emotional and social support are not only important but are everyday necessities for our mental well-being.

Your relationships with others matter. They make you feel valued and like you belong. You feel it when you talk with your friends or family or when someone shows you empathy.

Whether you want to enjoy someone’s company or need a shoulder to lean on, spending time with your people can do wonders for you.

Final Thoughts

You deserve a good relationship with yourself. And making time for the simple activities that make you feel good can be a huge help.

We are all so dedicated to our jobs, our studies, our spouses, our friends, and our families… and while it is wonderful to be as present as we can be for others we need to learn to be just as present for ourselves. You need to know that you deserve some you time.

When you don’t make yourself a priority and continue to push and give of yourself without rest you wind up exhausted, unhappy and unwell. Everyone benefits when you take care of you.

I vote that we make taking the time to nurture and care for ourselves so incredibly normal that it’s second nature! You are worthy of your love and should be at the top of your priority list. So why not create a daily self love prescription that you can, well, fall in love with?

Ultimately, it’s important to remember to be kind to yourself, no matter what that looks like for you. You’re doing the best you can and you are so, so worthy of your own love and care. <3

Why not add to my list! What self-love practices would you add to your self-love prescription? Share with us in the comments below.

Health and love,

Thought of the day: It’s not strange to love yourself with all your heart.

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