The Self-Love Summer Guide: Some Advice For More Self-Love In Your Life

"This doesn't feel right."I thought, sitting on the rug of my bathroom floor. "I don't feel right. I can't keep going like this."The realization donning over me. I pulled my knees closer to my chest, taking a deep breath and releasing. I wanted something to change in my life, in my mind, in my heart to release this web of tangled, strangled emotions that was dragging me down. I needed something to change.

The moment I decided I needed to give myself the love I deserved was a moment I could feel a tangible weight lift off my shoulders.

Too often we forget to give ourselves the love we deserve, the love we need, in so many different ways. Sometimes it can be so easy to be going through the motions, so easy to forget to give ourselves the very necessary art of self-love. It can very easy to always give others all our love instead and forget to save some for ourselves. It is a practice that we can too often forget about in the pursuit of our many hobbies. Which is why I wanted to talk about self-love today and to share some of the best advice I can have to help you revitalize your spirits and heart this summer.

Self-love comes in so many different ways, but the important thing to remember is that it starts with you and you alone. Only you can love yourself and give yourself the love you deserve. Even all those quotes you pin and like on instagram or pinterest won't do any good unless you sit down and work on loving yourself everyday. It's not just a practice it's a mindset: I've learned myself just how important it is to grow in who you are everyday, and to build your happiness and self-love from the ground up.

So here are some tips, tricks, and tangible ways to encourage self-love in your life:

1. Delete social media for a day or two to focus on you

When you find yourself in the desert, needing refreshment or release, you'll need to step back to just heal, to focus on you and you alone. Social media can be a very overwhelming place if it's presence surrounds you constantly. Even if you believe it's not affecting you negatively, it can still be a refreshing change to take a break from it. Especially to help yourself live in the here and now, which brings me to my next point!

2. Practice Mindfulness

Try some meditation! A cool yoga cleanse! There are SO many yoga videos online. Really and truly, all you need is a mat, some athletic clothes, yourself and you got it, my friend! If you don't know where to start, check out one of my personal favorite channels, Bohobeautiful. The instructor's name is Juliana and her channel is yoga, yoga-cardio mix videos, pilates, meditation and more! The channel is run by her and her husband Mark. They travel all over the world and film their Yoga videos in different locations. Some of her meditation videos have honestly helped me when I was in a really dark place. I can't recommend their channel enough. (By the way this post isn't sponsored whatsoever, I just really love their channel lol)

3. Try Getting into Journaling

Technically this also falls under mindfulness but I wanted to give this one it's own category. Therapists, Psychologists and English teachers have all sworn by journaling and the positive effects it can has. Gratitude journaling, the art of writing down prompts focused on gratitude, being one of the most popular and positive kinds. You can get into so many different kinds of positive self-love journaling, gratitude journaling only being one of them. I love this. I recommend making a habit out of it to make it easier to remember doing it. I've made it a step in my nighttime before-bed routine, writing down three things that went well during the day, that I'm proud of, or I'm grateful for, and then, if I'm in the mood for it, using a self-love or self-discovery prompt. There are wells on the internet of gathered prompts for self-love, all it takes is just one search on google or pinterest.

4. Incorporating Inspirational or Encouraging Words Into Your Everyday Routine

This one can be done in so many different ways. I suggest try writing down on some sticky notes a positive note, a quote from pinterest, or a favorite quote. Or even using said quote from pinterest as a wallpaper. Whatever it is, just scatter it around your life, make sure to put it in a place you know you'll see and using something you know will make you smile or will encourage you.

5. Stop comparing yourself to others

Pretty self-explanatory. But part of the reason we can face such difficulty in learning to love ourselves in this present time is how often we compare ourselves to others. It may seem hard at first to stop comparing yourself, but believe when I say your life after you stop is so worth it. It's a great way to completely release and feel on top of the world, to fill your heart with peace.

“You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” - Louise L. Hay

6. Try using a mantra every morning

Whether it be through an app that sends you positive vibes each mornings, the sticky notes, or finding that mantra to set your day. I really recommend tinybuddha.com for stuff like this.

7. Create a fun playlist that is yours, that will make you happy

I know I get excited every time I hear the strum of A Party In the U.S.A.

8. Read blogs on self-love and ways to love yourself better!

You can check one off the list! *wink*

9. Get more vitamin D

I've got a pocketful pocketful of sunshine, I've got a pocketful a pocketful of sunshine.

10. Exercise more and try eating healthier (and I don't mean try that Victoria's secret diet we both know won't last very long)

I know it seems hard at first, especially when starting out. It can seem so hard to drag yourself from watching The Crown at home to go to the gym, but believe when I say it's worth it. Your body and mind will thank you in the future. So will your doctor.

11. Try reading and finishing a book for every month

Reading really is kind of like forced relaxation. Not only are you helping your body but you're also helping your mind. There are so many different kinds of books out there! There's even self-improvement books such as the highly acclaimed Brene Brown's The Gift Of Imperfection. Find a book to carry with you to the pool this summer.

12. Watch a comedian, ted talk, or comedy that makes you laugh for a quick fix

Laughter is for sure one of life's best medicines. Embrace it.

13. Learn to forgive yourself.

Everybody makes mistakes, it's okay. It's also okay to sit down and take time to heal, to acknowledge when you make a mistake. But it's also okay to learn how to forgive yourself for whatever it was. The only way you can nurture your heart and grow is by learning how to forgive and let go.

14. Give Love To Your Body

Spending a little bit extra for a nice bath scrub, a lotion, taking the time to take care of your skin, or to (relating back to an earlier tip) by exercising. Don't forget to give love your body. Learn to unwind and relax.

15. Wear an outfit you feel good in

There's a certain energy, a positive vibe you get by wearing that favorite t-shirt of yours. It's color really makes your smile shine brighter and you love wearing it. This is a form of self-love.

16. Learn to silence your inner critic and surround yourself with people who support and love you

Don't give your thoughts too much power. They aren't true just because you think it. Surrounding yourself with friends, real friends, who care about where your mind is at, who care about you is a form of self love. Shaping your life, building a life that nurtures your spirit and mind is at the very foundations of self love.You deserve it. Really, you do. Don't cut yourself down all the time, don't give your thoughts power over you. Stand up to your inner critic not just by learning to silence them yourself but also by giving yourself the friends and life you deserve. Find a friend or two you know you can talk to about anything. If you don't know where to find one, try some new things!

Then, finally, one of my personal favorites-- fall in love with life and yourself again. Embracing who you are is one of the greatest ways I believe you feel uplifted and on a roll. Life is a grand ride, and you deserve to be loved. So go and have fun, give yourself the positive energy we all need, and don't forget to share it. Don't forget to feed your heart and mind the care it needs.

“Life is too short to waste any amount of time on wondering what other people think about you. In the first place, if they had better things going on in their lives, they wouldn't have the time to sit around and talk about you. What's important to me is not others' opinions of me, but what's important to me is my opinion of myself.” - C. JoyBell C.

If you need more advice, or even more tangible ways for a quick fix in your happiness, here are some other articles that talk about self-love and go into even more depth...

https://thegoalchaser.com/funny-self-love-quotes/ 

https://www.evelynlim.com/how-to-love-yourself-in-17-ways/ 

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/30-ways-practice-self-love-and-good-yourself.html

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/50-tangible-ways-to-practice-self-love_b_5632069

https://www.positivityblog.com/self-esteem-quotes/

http://sazan.me/blog/2017/06/19/self-love/