32 Unusual Ways to Love Ourselves

Below is a guest post from Claudia who writes at her blog, Earth Yogi as well as The Elephant Journal. This is one of those posts you want to print up and hang on a wall somewhere.  I am speaking for myself but I think most people have the same issue: its hard not to hate yourself throughout the day. And then continue that pattern of thought by being annoyed at everyone around you. Lets be honest for a second: most people don’t believe they are deserving of money, love, success, etc. You have to trick yourself into believing you are special. Claudia has a good list of ways for doing this that I think are applicable every day:

32 Unusual Ways to Love Ourselves by Claudia Azula

I happen to think that loving ourselves is the very first principle for anything in life.  Without self love it is difficult to love others, or to give.  Although it sounds selfish and counterintuitive self love is the only way in which we can learn how to love another one.  Seeing what is good in us is the fundamental principle behind seeing what is good in everyone, in recognizing our own divinity, and hence others’ divinities.

Warning, this might lead to better self esteem at worst and the realization that we are all divine beings at best:

 

  • Learning to say “thank you but I think I will skip” when we do not want to do something
  • Taking responsibility for how we feel
  • Using only positive and glorious words when talking about ourselves
  • Before eating asking “what is the healthiest most nutritious thing I can eat now”?, then trusting what we hear, really trusting. May be ice-cream today, might be spinach tomorrow, if we trust.
  • Taking a media fast once in a while
  • Taking a “me” day off, for real
  • Praying at home, in the train, in the car, during laundry, after yoga, on the street, in the shower…
  • Taking a long walk, with only ourselves
  • Remembering our priorities
  • Honoring those whom we love
  • Using place mats and the art of conversation during meals
  • The kitchen sink is always empty and clean
  • Making the bed every morning
  • Taking a Saturday afternoon for a beauty treatment (can be done at home very afford-ably)
  • Writting down ten things we would like to experience in this lifetime
  • Looking at the list often
  • Reaching out to someone we know needs it
  • Giving something away
  • Speaking half the times we think we need to
  • Organizing the closet
  • Buying clothes only if they fit 2 criteria: 1-comfortable and 2-makes me feel fabulous
  • Avoiding drama at all costs
  • But 22 does not mean we avoid dealing with issues we know we need to deal with
  • Speaking up when is necessary
  • Learning to be compassionate towards others but also and most importantly to ourselves
  • Going to bed at around the same time every night
  • Making sure we go to the bathroom for 1 and 2 every day
  • Looking at our reflection and going “Wow you are hot”
  • Appreciating that it really does not need to be perfect, it just needs to be
  • Using our energy efficiently
  • Sending love towards the Earth
  • Playing, often.

 

 

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