How to Start a Self-Love Journey to Love Yourself More

Self-love is self-care: How I started my self-love journey

Today we’re talking about what a self-love journey entails. Before that, let’s talk about what being in love with yourself again means.

Falling in love with yourself will completely change your entire life. When you start to deal with your authentic self instead of others, you’ll quickly notice three significant changes in your life.

You’ll feel better, your mental health will improve, and the quality of your relationships will also improve.

It all starts when you decide that you are the main character of your life and that you have the ability to change all aspects of it if you desire to.

But do you even understand what it means to love yourself? Do you know how to start loving yourself again?

We attract people into our lives who reflect our own lifestyles, choices, and personalities. Not just in a romantic relationship but in a broader sense as well.

Everyone sees the world through their own eyes, so your point of view will always be slightly different from others’.

Others will like you if you like yourself. If you aren’t completely satisfied with yourself, you’re wasting your time interacting with people you have nothing in common with.

This can result in a relationship in which you accept less than you would like.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this problem: simply learn to love yourself. Constant self-love practice is a powerful tool.

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Without further ado, here’s your self-love journey guide

1. Forgive yourself

Let go of the past. Don’t hold it against yourself if you make a mistake or a bad decision.

You did your best with the information and insights you had at the time. Everything you’ve done has been right.

It was part of your lesson. You’re now grown and capable of living differently.

We can love the wrong person and regret our poor choices, but even if things don’t go as planned, one thing is certain: Making mistakes helps us find the right people and great things.

Whatever happens in your life prepares you for the next step in your journey to self-love. You can’t start a new chapter in your life if you continue to read the previous one.

2. Praise yourself

Criticism spiritually weakens the soul, whereas praise spiritually strengthens it. Make it a daily practice to praise yourself as much as possible.

Praise yourself whenever you accomplish something, no matter how small.

3. Stop trying to avoid your problems

You must confront them. No, it won’t be simple.

There’s no one in the world who can withstand difficulties and hard times in life flawlessly. We don’t have to solve all of the problems at once.

4. Love yourself right now

How to start a self-love journey? The idea of self-love is that you have to decide to do it and do it right away.

Don’t wait for better times to come. Don’t wait until you’ve lost weight, found a new job, or found a new partner.

Start right away and do your best. It’s never too late to begin loving yourself. The best time to start is… right now.

This is the meaning of life: to face problems, learn from them, adapt to them, and, ultimately, solve them. That’s what makes us humans.

5. Don’t try to buy luck for yourself

Many of the things we desire are ridiculously expensive. However, the truth is that the small things that truly make us happy—love, laughter, and working on our emotions—are completely free.

6. Stop getting involved for the wrong reasons

Establish relationships using common sense. It’s better to be alone than in bad company. There’s no need to rush into a decision.

When something has to happen, it happens at the best possible time, with the best possible person, and for the best possible reasons.

You should fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.

Everyone you meet has goals. Some people will try to control you, while others will take advantage of you.

However, some people will also try to teach you. But, most importantly, some of them bring out the best qualities in you.

You might also like: Easy hacks to be confident that you can implement right away

7. Don’t waste your time on explanations

Your friends don’t need them, but your enemies aren’t going to believe you anyway. Simply act in the way you believe is right.

Learn and practice saying “no” and “yes” based on your own values and desires rather than anticipating and thinking about other people’s opinions.

If you like something or want to participate, say “yes.” Otherwise, say “no” without apologizing or giving long and complex reasons.

Once I realized that not wasting my time on explanations plays a huge part in my journey to self-love, my life changed in many different ways.

Here’s how you can learn to say “no” without explaining yourself all the time.

8. Concentrate on one problem at a time

Low self-esteem causes plenty of problems in all aspects of life, which is why people often try to improve everything right away. However, there’s a risk of being buried beneath it all.

It’s important to concentrate on one problem at a time.

We not only increase our chances of success, but we also give ourselves the opportunity to enjoy the boost in confidence that comes with every success.

9. Live your life from the heart

It makes no difference how your life has progressed thus far. Remember that every morning when you open your eyes, you win the grand prize of being alive.

Throughout the day, you have 86,400 chances to make a different choice than you have in the past.

You’ve also been given 28,800 breaths to act and think lovingly.

There’s always one choice. You can either live with your heart and reach your full potential, or you can live a life of fear and limitation.

10. Stop all the criticism

This is my favorite tip that you can practice on your journey to loving yourself. Criticism accomplishes nothing. Stop judging yourself and others. Stop negative self-talk.

If you criticize yourself, you’ll see negative changes. If you praise yourself, you’ll see positive changes. Accept yourself exactly as you are.

11. Resist brainwashing and stop looking for approval where it’ll never be found

Yes, only a small percentage of the population is capable of resisting social brainwashing. Here’s how social brainwashing works.

The box is far too small and narrow. To please others, you’re “supposed to” suppress your true self.

To be a part of society, you’re “supposed to” constantly deny yourself. You’re told what’s correct and incorrect.

But how can you expect a planet full of people who don’t love or recognize themselves to love and acknowledge you?

True self-love means it’s time to stop looking for approval where it’ll never come and finally surrender to the peace that you are.

Getting rid of the created and brainwashed self is the path to peace, love, health, abundance, and joy.

12. Love your bad habits

Recognize that you have developed negative habits in order to meet certain needs. Now is the time to come up with new, positive solutions to these problems.

This allows you to let go of old patterns and pursue personal growth. Here’s how you can learn to break your bad habits in no time.

13. Stop lying to yourself

You can deceive everyone except yourself. We can only improve our lives if we allow ourselves to take risks. The first and most difficult risk is being honest with ourselves.

It’s a huge step in your self-care practice, but it will also make a huge difference.

14. Imagine your ideal self

Manifesting and imagining your ideal self is a great tip if you want to know how to start your self-love journey. Let me elaborate on that.

We can boost and sustain our motivation by constantly reminding ourselves of the confident version of ourselves that we want to become. Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and fantasize.

Create as detailed a picture of yourself as a confident person as possible. Admire your vision for as long as you can, because the more powerful this image is, the more likely it’ll become a reality.

This way, you feed your subconscious with positive images and attract situations and people who will help you move toward the confident, brave, and best version of yourself.

15. Stop thinking you’re not ready

Nobody ever feels truly ready for anything. Most serious opportunities and different situations require us to leave our comfort zone, which means we are starting to feel uncomfortable.

And that’s okay, because that’s the key to growth and personal development.

16. Don’t allow others to drag you down to their level

There’s no need to lower the bar in order to meet those who refuse to lift it. Try to gradually let go of the need to be super-happy and to please others.

If you’re a perfectionist who loves to fine-tune everything, practice putting things aside, messing up by doing something else instead, and learning to enjoy it without blaming or punishing yourself for not doing things.

17. Know you’re good enough

A big part of self-love is knowing you’re good enough. Take a deep breath and become familiar with the idea. You’re perfect the way you are.

Recognize your true self. Recognize that joy is possible in any situation. Recognize that life can be special and that you are unique.

Self-acceptance is one of the most important things on your journey of self-love.

18. Take good care of your body

When I was having a low moment and thinking about my self-love journey, I immediately thought about self-care.

Why? Well, your body is truly your temple. You have to take care of your needs. Besides, having a positive body image is so important.

Every week, we clean our homes to remove dust, but what about the inside of your body? Learn about nutrition.

What should you eat to feel energetic and alive? Drink plenty of water and avoid junk food.

Learn about different sports opportunities and start working out. Find a physical activity that suits your needs.

Get a massage and experiment with various energy therapies or relaxing breathing exercises.

Eat healthy foods and make better choices when it comes to your health. These activities all help you fall in love with yourself again.

Here are 100 good habits that you can adopt for a better life.

19. Stop frightening yourself

You can do a lot of damage to yourself with your thoughts. Thinking about how bad your life will get creates a terrible reality for you.

I’m not saying negative feelings are always bad, but constant fear is certainly bad. Find a beautiful photograph, talisman, or crystal that will bring you joy while scaring away fearful thoughts.

You might also like: Here are 100 things to love about yourself right now

20. Don’t try to be someone else

One of the most difficult tasks is to remain yourself in a world where you’re pressured to live up to the expectations of others.

Someone is always more attractive, someone is always more intelligent, and someone is always younger.

Try not to please others. The first step is to always be yourself. Those who value you will accept you for who you are.

21. Stop competing with everyone

Don’t be concerned if others outperform you. Concentrate on achieving your personal daily goals. Start comparing yourself to your old versions, not to those of others.

Is it true that you are more loving, affectionate, and understanding today than you were a year ago?

Do you understand the consequences of your words, actions, and attitudes toward yourself and others better now than you did a year ago?

22. Spend time in front of a mirror today

Believe it or not, spending time in front of a mirror does play a part in your self-love journey.

Look in the mirror frequently, always look into your eyes, and notice that wonderful glow in your eyes.

When you first wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I love you,” and repeat it as often as possible throughout the day.

Look in the mirror every time you see yourself and tell yourself how wonderful you are, what a wonderful body you have, and how good you look today.

It may be difficult at first, but if you stick with it and overcome your internal obstacles, the results will be lasting. You’re growing to appreciate yourself more and more!

23. Make an inventory

When dissatisfaction, constant fatigue, or a lack of energy take over, you must complete a detailed inventory of your life, including what you enjoy, what you’re happy with, and what doesn’t make you feel satisfied and happy.

Remove all those toxic people; only keep your closest friends; and focus on your own needs.

24. Know that people are in your life for a reason

People have known throughout history that their inner nature is reflected in all people, places, and situations.

Your spouse, boss, children, news, traffic, and deadlines—each with its own charm, mistakes, or challenges—are all there to bring you into greater harmony with yourself.

Everything changes when you start to view your life through that lens.

Instead of escaping, hiding, or avoiding unpleasant feelings, you welcome them because they mark the beginning of freedom.

You put an end to the game of reflection and judgment when you start to see, experience, and accept yourself in all things.

Once you become aware of something, it can no longer affect you subconsciously.

25. Be gentle, kind, and patient with yourself and others

Be kind to yourself. Be gentle with yourself. Be patient until you learn how to think in a different way.

Take care of yourself as if you were someone you love. Because you are. Make yourself gifts and celebrate special occasions to make yourself happy.

It’s difficult and time-consuming to change yourself, so give yourself some time. You can’t expect to be perfect the first time you learn something new or do something for the first time.

Concentrate on your strengths, abilities, and admirable qualities to cultivate a better sense of self-worth.

26. Seek help and support

Knowing when to seek help was another thing I heard a lot about when I was thinking about ways to start a self-love journey.

Because the process of self-development is complex and deep, you should surround yourself with supportive friends who can listen and be there for you.

A professional, such as a psychologist or psychotherapist, may also help you.

They will create a safe and reliable environment for you to deal with your feelings and provide advice on how to get back up in case of a relapse.

Asking for help doesn’t mean that you’re weak or incompetent. This indicates that you are eager to learn and grow.

Create your own support network. Communicate with others and allow them to help you. You don’t have to deal with everything on your own.

You might also like: Some really good tips that I used to silence my inner critic

27. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

Making a mistake while doing something is at least ten times more effective than doing nothing.

Every step forward carries traces of previous setbacks, and every setback leads to success. In the end, you’ll regret what you didn’t do far more than what you did.

28. Don’t let your heart be filled with rage

After all, you cause more harm to yourself than you do to the people you despise. Forgiveness doesn’t mean, “I am content with everything you did to me.”

Forgiveness means, “I will not let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”

Forgiveness is an opportunity to let go, find peace, and be free. Remember that forgiveness is required not only for others but also for yourself.

Forgive yourself if necessary, and move on to try to do better next time.

29. Have fun with your life

You remember the things that used to make you happy when you were a child, right? Reintroduce these things into your life.

Find pleasure in everything you do. Do things you’ve only fantasized about doing so far.

Allow yourself to feel and express your joy in life. Have a lot of fun. Smile a lot. Hug as many people as you possibly can. This will bring joy and love into your daily life.

30. Be understanding of yourself

Don’t despise your thoughts, but be grateful that they exist so that you can change them.

Recognize negative thoughts and transform them into positive ones. Positive self-talk is the key here.

It’s a long journey to self-love, and nothing changes overnight, but if you take small steps, big changes will emerge.

31. Stop spending time with the wrong people

Life is too short to spend it with people who drain all of your juices. It’s also never too late to find new friends.

If someone wants you in their life, they will show you that. You don’t have to fight for a place next to that person. Never cling to those who constantly undervalue your worth.

Remember, true friends aren’t the ones who cheer you on when you’re at your best; they’re the ones who stick by your side when things go wrong.

Take a piece of paper and a pencil.

Evaluate the most important relationships in your life by giving a plus to those that make you feel valued, happy, and truly noticed and a minus to those that make you feel limited, harassed, or uncomfortable.

Then, gradually reduce the amount of time you devote to negative relationships, eventually giving them up entirely.

32. Don’t think too long

Otherwise, you will create problems where none previously existed. Evaluate the situation and take decisive action.

What you refuse to face can’t be changed. Any improvement involves some level of risk.

Also, you don’t have to dry up your energy reserves every single day. Nobody can be happy and optimistic all the time.

Take the time to get to know your sad side. Allow yourself to feel sadness or anger as needed, and don’t judge yourself for it.

33. Stop ignoring the little things

Enjoy trivial things because one day you’ll look back and realize they were wonderful.

The best part of your life consists of insignificant, unspecified moments spent making someone you care about smile.

34. Stop looking for someone else to make you happy

This is another important thing to keep in mind when you’re planning your self-love journey. You are your own best friend.

Long-term relationships with someone will not make you happy if you are unhappy with yourself or your personality.

Before you share your life with anyone, you must first create stability in it. Only then can you have a healthy relationship with others.

35. Every day, set aside one hour for yourself

Make yourself an aromatherapy bath with candles, go swimming or riding in the woods, read your favorite book for an hour, then go for a walk, turn off the phone in the middle of the day, and go for a bike ride.

In short, do the things you enjoy most without involving others.

And do it on a daily basis. Get to know yourself. Can you spend time alone without becoming anxious or depressed? You need to get to know yourself well in every situation.

You might also like: 33 good goals every woman should have for a better life

36. Be thankful

After I started expressing gratitude every day, loving myself became much easier. You instantly become happier when you can be grateful for the people, things, and events in your life.

I really like this one-minute gratitude journal. I feel like it makes me appreciate the important things in life more and more, day by day.

Keep a small diary in which you can record the things you are grateful for on a daily basis. Once you realize how many of these things you have in your life, you’ll begin to love yourself more.

Here are 100 things to be thankful for right now.

37. Give yourself much love

While we’re doing inventory, it’s important that we offer ourselves love. The important part is to take practical steps to increase your energy levels, treat yourself, and allow others to pamper you.

This can be hindered by subconscious childhood beliefs that teach us that loving ourselves is selfish and inappropriate. It’s time to let go of such concepts.

We must first love ourselves, because we won’t be able to love others if we don’t love ourselves.

Meditation, positive affirmations, and other spiritual practices will help you develop compassion and love for yourself.

You might also like: 100 self-care ideas to help you unwind right now

FAQ: Why is self-love important?

Self-love is essential because it is the foundation of a happy, fulfilled life. It entails accepting yourself, flaws and all, and treating yourself with kindness and compassion.

When you have a strong sense of self-love, you’re better equipped to deal with life’s challenges, stressors, and feelings of unworthiness.

You’re also more likely to have positive relationships with others because self-love leads to healthy boundaries and improved communication skills.

Besides, self-love can improve both your physical and mental health.

When you love and accept yourself, you’re more likely to engage in self-care practices that promote overall well-being, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising on a regular basis, and seeking medical attention when necessary.

Self-love can boost your self-esteem and confidence. When you believe in yourself and your worth, you’re more likely to stay committed to pursuing your goals and dreams.

FAQ: How to start your self-love journey?

Just like all the other good things in life, learning to love yourself can be a real challenge. It certainly won’t happen overnight.

It’s a long process that requires all your attention. The easiest way to find your way to love is to follow these tips that I previously mentioned.

You might also like: Participate in an awesome 30-day self-growth challenge

Are you ready to go on a self-love journey?

They say that self-love is a journey. What did you think of this blog post? What would you tell someone who asked you about your journey? How do you practice self-love? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.