5 Ways to Start Accepting and Loving Yourself
Dec 14, 2019
“What’s your favorite part about yourself?”
I am taken back.
"What?" I reply.
“What’s your favorite part about yourself?”
“Ummm ummm” stuttering and turning red.. “I guess I like my upper metatarsals and fingernails”.
He laughs a boisterous laugh and asks “that’s all you love about yourself?”
“Well.... yeah....” mumbling and looking down. "I guess they are okay"
This was a conversation I had a long time ago on a date. And it has always stuck with me because the only thing I could tell this person that I liked about myself was my fingernails and upper metatarsals? Not even my whole freaking finger?
REALLY?
I have come a ways since that date, but self love is definitely still a unicorn for me, almost 15 years later.
And I know I am not alone.
Aren’t you just soo tired of it?
Tired of hearing the same annoying voice in your head spilling self-deprecating words of resentment towards yourself?
‘Im so fat’
‘Ugh look at that cellulite?’
‘If only this stomach pooch was gone’
‘Im so gross...unworthy.... unlovable...unsexy.....{insert your go to put downs here}….’
I am sooo sick of it.
How many hours/days/months have we wasted putting that sh*t in our heads?
Why are we so bloody mean to ourselves??
IT. IS. EXHAUSTING!!!
Just think of all the extra time we could be spending turning those thoughts into things we actually want and love and desire?
We would change our world.
I have been working on loving myself for over 15 years and I am not going to sit here and tell you I have it figured out and I love every inch of me.
Cause I don’t.
But I have learned how to begin to show self-appreciation, self-acceptance and gratitude for myself and my body.
5 Tips to Begin Shifting from Hating Your Body to Appreciating it.
It is easy to get overwhelmed when you hear ‘just love yourself, love yourself, love yourself’ when in your head you are seriously questioning if that is even possible and wondering who these magical unicorns are who really love everything about themselves.
Many of us have years of ingrained sh*t in our heads and self-love isn’t going to happen overnight.
So instead of feeling pressured to "just love yourself", let’s start instead, where you are today and make the small mindset shifts to begin appreciating your beautiful body for all they are worth, and slowly create your confidence one thought at a time.
1. Shift from thinking you 'have to' love every part of you, and instead, focus on parts of you that you do love. Sometimes it is easy to get overwhelmed to think you should love everything about yourself - especially if you have struggled with body image issues. Start small. Focus on assets you love about yourself. Remember, I started with the top half of my fingers....
2. Ask someone you love to write down what they love about you. I know this one sounds scary - but trust me, hearing someone else tell you what they love about you is a great way to get out of your head and focus on all the amazing qualities you bring into this world form someone else's perspective. I did this during my self appreciation journey - it was scary AF - but to this day (I did this 8 years ago) I still look back on those little messages (because yes I kept them) to remind myself what others see in me on those days I am just not seeing it.
3. Journal, Journal, Journal - let that stuff out on paper and out of your body. I know everyone talks about journalling - and there is a reason for it . Releasing your feeling out on to paper not only releases all the energy out of your body, but allows for valuable self-reflection for personal growth. When you self reflect on these writings in days, week, months to come you can begin to become aware of self-limiting belief systems so you can begin re-programming them.
4. Read Body Positivity Quotes. Sometimes others words are what we need to hear. Reading quotes is always a quick and effective way to shift your mindset and gain another perspective.
5. Focus on the Bigger Picture by Setting Intentions for Your Life. By focusing on setting intentions for your life you are focusing your mind on the bigger picture and what really matters in life. When you start mapping out your dream life - in terms of who you want to be, what you want to have in life and how you want to contribute to the world - you shift into a growth mindset and focus on more exciting things in life rather how your thighs jiggle.
My #1 Mindset Tip to Start your Self-Appreciation & Body Positivity Journey
Start Saying THANK YOU to your body.
↠ Instead of hating your "thick thighs", shift to being thankful for them for allowing you to walk/run/hike and explore our beautiful earth, to squat and play with your kids or furbabies, and to get you from point A to point B.
↠ Instead of focusing on your "buddha belly" and how you don’t like how it looks in photos (without it being squeezed into those sausage casings known as Spanx); shift to being grateful for the stomach which provides core strength so you can function in everyday life, which breaks down the nutrients you need to get through the day, which carried your children.
↠ Instead of focusing on not having perfect hair, perfect eyelashes or perfect makeup, focus on being in the moment, getting messy with your children and showing them what true beauty looks like. Be grateful you are not wasting hours each day trying to appear like someone else.
This is a journey.
It is not going to happen overnight. But by making the conscious choice to start with baby steps - expressing gratitude, appreciation and acceptance for our bodies, that my friend can start TODAY.
You are so much more powerful than you know.
XOXO
Before you go - I cannot tell people enough the power of setting intentions has on your life. Focusing on what really matters to you - how you define happiness is the #1 way to begin living a more aligned and joyful life. GET YOUR FREE INTENTION SETTING WORKBOOK HERE.
Other articles you may also be interested in:
- 6 Steps You Need to Take in Order to Change Your Life
- 10 Healthy Habits of Happy Women
- 5 Micro-Habits to Start You Day Positively
- 11 Ways to Declutter Your Mind
- 7 Simple Self-Care Tips to Ease Overwhlem
- 5 Facts Everyone Needs to Know About Personal Energy
- 16 epic Brené Brown quotes on strength and courage to Inspire You!
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