How to Love Yourself

If you can have a superpower, what would it be? Some would probably answer incomparable strength while others would dream of having the power to fly. But what if your superpower is your ability to love yourself in a super kind of way? 

Having good self-esteem is like having a superpower that nobody else can take from you. It is not something that needs to remain in your imagination. In fact, it is the only kind of superpower that anyone can have at any given place and time. 

It's incredible how much self-love can do you good. Self-love is the best love you could give to yourself. It is like your shield of protection from all the negativity and hatred in the world. But when you don't love yourself as much as you should, the feeling can be frightening, exhausting, and sometimes it makes everything seem impossible. 

I love myself. Say this over and over and remind yourself how much you do. 

There is nothing more important in this world than self-love. The act of loving yourself is radical. It makes everything so easy to do. However, it isn't something that can be done in an instant. Like loving other people, learning to love yourself is a process. It may take some time. It can be a bit slow, but it will make sure that your love for yourself is built on something secure. 

But how do you do it? How do you learn to love yourself without losing your grip on reality? Here are some self-love exercises that you can do:

Make a list of everything there is to love about yourself.

This list can be tough to come up with if negative feelings overwhelm you. But you have to start somewhere. Begin by making a list of the little things that you like about yourself. Make sure to focus on yourself and not write about other people. For example, instead of writing, "I have really nice friends," you should instead write, "I'm a kind person; that's why I attract good people in my life." The point of this list is that it will serve as your reminder that there are a lot of things that are good about you. You need to be reminded of it sometimes. 

Teach yourself to accept compliments from others. 

This is often one of the hardest things to do, especially when you are blinded by all the negativity. It can be pretty tough to accept that there are other people like you, too. This is because you don't even like yourself. But this doesn't have to stop you from finding out the good that others see in you. You can start with a simple "thank you" when they give you a compliment. People have their way of giving others sweet and genuine gestures of praise. Practice, start a routine. Give yourself a compliment each day. Soon, you'll be able to get yourself out of that discomfort zone and into the spirit of gratitude. 

Focus on seeing the good in others.

The best form of love you could give yourself is when you know that you are stable enough to see that there is something good in the world around you. It doesn't have to be anything of a physical nature. A small gesture of kindness like a welcome hug from your dog or a "Good morning!" greeting from the person at the front desk who you barely know. All these kinds of goodness exist in people. And unless you recognize that there can be good in everyone, it would be too hard to see that there is some goodness in you, too. 

Be more confident by wearing clothes that complement you.

Some people say that in order to love yourself, you have to look at what is good from within. However, the physical aspect of your being also helps lift your spirits up. Try to wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself. Be confident in showing off those curves. If you have clothes that you don't really feel like wearing, don't wear them. Toss them out or you may even donate them. Who knows? What doesn't work well for you may work well with others. Wearing clothes that makes you feel confident makes a huge difference in your life. Wear the clothes that tell people that the game is on, and you are ready for what is to come. 

Ask the people around you “What do you think of me?”

You'd be surprised at how much they value you in their lives. Their answers may vary, and some might not say the words that you want them to say, but it will help to ask them. Build upon that confidence that you have of yourself. Trust the people around you. They know that when you ask them the question, you want the reassurance that you are important in their lives. That's most likely how they will answer your question. How would asking others help you? You can write down their answers and reflect on them.

Learn to forgive yourself and your shortcomings.

The worst part of doubting yourself is that it’s a way of hating yourself for what you cannot be. So instead of focusing on what you cannot do, focus on the things that you can. Forgive yourself for all your limitations. At some point in your life, you may have failed yourself, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything well anymore. It only means that you have allowed yourself to grow and make mistakes so you can step up and start again. Forgive yourself so you can start loving yourself again. Perfection is a myth so don’t chase after it. There is nobody else in this world that does the right thing every time, but it doesn't mean they have to give up trying to be better. 

What does it mean to love yourself? The answer is pretty simple. It means that you know your worth. Loving yourself will keep you intact no matter what happens, no matter who comes and leaves you. When you love yourself, you know you have a strong foundation that no other person could come in and destroy. So, practice loving yourself each day. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.