With the self-love revolution taking place, you may either be all for it or not understand what the big deal is.  You already value yourself and strive to live your best life, so why is it so important?  Well, self-love is a fancy word that stems means you find happiness in your life. If you have a hard time loving yourself, then you likely struggle with feelings of inadequacy.  We all go through times in our lives where we may be our biggest critic. But if you let that critic take over, it’s hard to accept the person you are.

Check out some ways to learn how to love yourself more, and in the process, be happy with life. 

1. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone 

Everyone likes to stay within their comfort zone, but that’s not where growth takes place.  Once in a while, you should make a point to do something that scares you. Think of the things you’ve wanted to do but have put off.  Perhaps you’ve wanted to visit a friend from your past in a different country. Or, you’d love to pick back up an abandoned hobby such as singing.  If there’s something that you miss and haven’t done in ages, make some time now. 

A few other ideas are starting a new hobby or joining a volunteer group. There are countless activities you can do to get out of your comfort zone. After feeling uncomfortable a few times, it’ll get easier. Don’t expect it to go well right out of the gate. 

It’s quite alright if you feel uncomfortable for a while. That’s the only way you’ll ever grow by leaps and bounds! 

2. Let Your True Self Show

It sounds cliche, but being yourself is essential if you want to find happiness. You may feel you need to impress a friend or family member by doing something that isn’t you. It’s okay to get out of your comfort zone, as we mentioned.  But if someone expects you to be someone you’re not, that’s when you need to put your foot down. 

If you don’t like the person you’re becoming, it’s time to change that. No one should ever pressure you to be someone you’re not. They should love you for who you are! 

To love yourself, you may have to make new friends or find a new job. Making these critical decisions will improve your outlook on life.  At the same time, find activities and people who bring out the best in you. Becoming the best person possible often depends on the people you’re around.  Fill your life with people who uplift you and love the person you are. Likewise, you need to appreciate who they are and build them up too. 

Being yourself will allow your personality to shine through.

3. Be Gentle With Yourself 

It’s normal if you’re critical of yourself sometimes. Wanting to improve things and become a better person isn’t a bad thing.  But if you continue to be hard on yourself, you’re going to end up with low self-esteem.  Find a balance between pushing yourself to improve and easing up when you’re too critical. It’s healthy to become a better person, but not if you’re so hard on yourself that you get depressed. 

It’s okay to get good-quality teeth whitening in Salem to enhance the appearance of your smile, however, do not focus too much on your physical flaws. Remember that your personality is still what matters to most people.

Not giving yourself grace to find happiness can result in setbacks and not reaching your dreams. And you don’t want that to happen!  So cut yourself some slack and remind yourself that you’re a remarkable human being, because you are! 

4. Let Go of the Past

There may be some things from your past that are holding you back from reaching your full potential. You may have ended things with a significant other when you wish you wouldn’t have. Or, you passed up a fantastic job opportunity, and you regret it. 

It’s easy to get hung up on your past mistakes. We all do it, and unfortunately, it’s easy to get stuck in the past.  Instead of continuing to look backward, choose to look forward! You can’t go back in time to retrieve things that you lost.  What you can do is do better now and in the future. 

If you made mistakes that you wish you hadn’t, let go and move on from the past.  Or rectify those errors. For example, you may need to apologize to an important person and make things right again. 

It may take time to forgive yourself, but it’ll be worth it in the end. 

5. Spend Time Alone

If you want to travel but don’t have anyone to go with, that shouldn’t hold you back!  Go on a solo backpacking trip or head to a favorite restaurant on your own. If you want to travel the world by yourself, nothing should hold you back! It’ll be liberating to follow your dreams and do what you want without listening to the naysayers. 

It’s okay to spend time alone, and you can do this by traveling and doing many other activities.  You don’t have to follow anyone else’s rules because you can create your own rules! But, be sure to follow the law. Otherwise, you may get into trouble! 

Being comfortable with yourself will open up new doors and help you grab hold and find happiness.

In Conclusion

Are you happy with the person you’ve become? Even if you are, take the time to learn more about yourself.  Chances are there are many more ways to embrace the person you are.

If you’re a perfectionist, it’s time to ease up on yourself. Your expectations of yourself are likely unrealistic.  Treat yourself to ice cream and think of ways to appreciate yourself more. Love yourself, and in turn, you’ll discover the joy in your life!

Author Bio

Caitlin Sinclair is the Business Manager at The Rylan. With over five years of property management experience, she begins and ends each day loving what she does. She finds joy in helping current and future residents and makes The Rylan a place everyone loves to call home.