As we approach February, the month known for celebrating love, let’s take a moment to embrace loving ourselves. Understanding what self-love means as an individual is essential for your mental well-being. Therefore, creating a loving relationship with yourself makes it easier to put into practice communicating needs while setting loving boundaries. Practicing self-love can ameliorate numerous areas like building awareness of self, boosting confidence, mindfulness of strengths, and acceptance of weaknesses. Self-love is the foundation for who you are; by developing a loving foundation, life will feel purposeful.
There are many ways to strengthen love for yourself; one way is through self-love affirmations. Affirmations help me work on my relationship with myself and reshape my mindset. By implementing positive affirmations, I honor and respect my limitations. Additionally, when implementing affirmations a positive mental shift happens. Welcome the shift. Self-love can also help counter the feelings associated with anxiety, depression, or stress.
As humans, we can be too critical of ourselves, which makes it far too easy to fall into patterns of negativity without realizing it. Positive self-talk can help overcome fears experienced with giving or receiving love. The authors of the book Boundaries make this statement beautifully, “Our loving heart, like our physical one, needs an inflow as well as an outflow of lifeblood.” Finally, we all deserve to feel love, mainly from ourselves, but to love others is to love yourself unconditionally first.
Daily Self-love Affirmations
I am at peace with my past.
I choose to nourish my health.
I am balanced.
I can let love in.
I do not think less of myself for making mistakes.
I allow my love for myself to grow every day.
I am resilient.
I love my body and all it does for me.
I can give myself grace during difficulties.
About the Author:
Lydia Cardona, Clinical Counseling Graduate Level Intern is completing a clinical practicum and internship through Palm Beach Atlantic University with her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is an active member of the Florida Counseling Association and Golden Key International Honour Society.