Self-love is a big journey and learning it might take a long time, but what is great about it is that your life changes and improves as soon as you start. As much as we all want to sugarcoat things sometimes and as much as it is our job to keep a positive outlook and learn, we all struggle sometimes, we all feel pain. Sometimes it is just a slight glimpse of discomfort, sometimes it is unbearable and devastating. It can break our hearts and make us criticize and doubt ourselves.
Self-love is our life-jacket. When we're lost, when we go down, when the life seems to suck the energy out of us.
For me, self-love is the only way to stay sane.
When you're a sensitive person in a chaotic world, it isn't easy to cope with overwhelming feelings and emotions, it is easy to get lost and forget your strength.
I often see sensitive people being so compassionate, they always put others' feelings first. Which is probably a good thing to some extent. Until you let others use you, play with your feeling, disrespect you or your emotion, betray something very personal you shared or... you know what to add here better than me.
Yesterday I went to the workshop that was about Behavioural Activation. It is a science-based approach to habits that help you to identify what habits you need to implement to get improvements you desire. For this, you identify what prevents you from doing it and what exact feelings stand behind the lack of action. Behavioral Activation is about creating small habits that help you to overcome bigger blocks and feeling you might have.
In the workshop, we did this process for 3 things we wanted to have in our lives. I found it really powerful.
I suggest you dive in and see what small things we can implement in our life to form a HABIT of self-love and self-respect, to form a habit that will get your back in any situation, any time, anywhere... feel what you need to feel for a while, cry if you need to cry and then remember: You got this.
1. It's not about You. (#1 for a reason!). Take a deep breath and imagine how light goes through You.
As important as it is to learn from our experiences and accept a full responsibility for your life, When someone hurts you, It is not about you, it is about them.
2. We hurt others when something inside of us hurts. Every time someone throws negativity at you, repeat in your head "It is not about me"
3. Your only job is to have your heart open and give yourself the love you need. Practice 3 minutes of breathing through your heart.
4. Light candles. Fire is clearing.
5. Consciously pay attention to your body for 2 minutes. Be aware of it, how many processes happen inside at the same time.
6. When you put a cream on your body repeat "I love and approve of my body"
7. Do an energy gymnastics. First thing in the morning or in the shower.
Step 1. Breathe in through your feet, imagine how energy goes through your body, up above your head.
Step 2. Breathe in from top of your head, through all your body, down to Earth.
Repeat 3-5 times.
8. Do energy gymnastics during the day, when you feel a tension.
8. Put a sticker with the affirmation "I Love myself, I truly love and appreciate myself" On your bathroom mirror.
9. Straight after you brush your teeth, look yourself in the eyes as you would look at the person you love.
10. When you look yourself in the eyes, repeat: "I am always there for You, I truly love You, I support You"
11. When shower, imagine how water clears your energy and any negative emotions you have.
12. Choose a trigger action that will remind you to feel warmth and compassion to yourself.
For example, every time you hear the specific song on your playlist
When You see a certain thing in your wardrobe
When you put your mascara/lipstick on
Something similar and easy you do every day
13. Take a conscious decision to work with your negative beliefs.
14. Don't settle for uncomfortable emotions.
15. Every time you feel sad or betrayed or... ask yourself: Which negative belief makes me perceive it this way?
16. Start with easy and small steps.
17. Practice mindful eating. Just feel the taste, texture of food and give yourself 5-10 minutes to eat slowly. Start from 1 time a day, it is good already
18. Do a 1-minute dance break.
Easy at home. I run womangic from the office, we are a creative space, but still, you don't dance in the middle of the room. I go to the bathroom every time I feel a little down and dance there. No kidding, I do. The greatest fear is that someone is going to come in, but maybe you're lucky enough and you have a bigger bathroom space you can lock.
"A full woman is the one who is...always wants to dance"
19. Acknowledge the power of the Earth. Trees, building in your city were there for years (centuries) before you even were born.
20. Feel how your heart expands, say to yourself: Mother Earth always cares about me, always provides me with what I need.
21. On your way to work find a piece of grass. Stand on it for a minute with your eyes closed, feeling the power of the Earth.
22. Take 3-5 deep breaths. Do a grounding meditation.
Imagine how the light energy goes through you to the center of the Earth and goes back through you to the cosmos.
23. Think about 5 small things you enjoyed during the day and are grateful for before sleep.
24. When you wake up set the intention for the day. How do you want to feel today?
25. In a free moment during the day write down on a piece of paper or in your notebook: "I am whole full and complete"
When You Love Yourself, You're Able to Give More
More Resources:
New To Meditation?
Gift Of Sensitivity Guided Meditation, Release Negativity, Balance Emotions
Love and Light,
Kate