yourself

There are 2 posts tagged yourself.

Five More Ways to Love Yourself

Recently I wrote about why is it very important to love ourselves and five ways to do so. While reflecting on the same topic today, I felt that there can’t be just five ways to love ourselves, there could be a million small ways to do so. Big or small, if you are really enjoying and “living” life, you can love and treat yourself in many different ways. Loving yourself is more than an activity or a series of steps, it is a way of living. Below are a few more ways to love yourself –

6. Enjoy the beauty in every moment

Every moment has some beauty which we often miss. Just look around, you might see two dogs playing on the street, and try to remember when was the last time you played that freely. Watch a mother holding her son’s hand in the mall, and remember to give your parents a hug every now and then. See your life as a gift to this world, use it to enrich the lives of people around you. Be worthwhile. Spread smiles. Spread cheers..

7. Give advice you give to others to yourself

Many times we give others advice about being healthy, staying motivated, having confidence in themselves but most often we miss giving that advice to ourselves when we need it. Never beat yourself up for what could have been a great relationship, or a business opportunity which did not materialize. Instead be grateful for what you have, and believe that there is something better waiting for you. Speak to yourself in the way you speak and advice other people in your life.

“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance” - Oscar Wilde

“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance” - Oscar Wilde

8. Ask for what people like about you

Ask people what they like about you. What are your strong points and good qualities? Don’t focus on improving your talents and skills too much. For a break, focus on and appreciate what you already have. Asking others for good in ourselves and listening to praise could be one of the toughest tasks (if you don’t believe me, try it). But it is also very important to acknowledge and appreciate yourself for the good you are continuously doing in life. And go watch the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” to fully grasp what I mean by this point.

9. Don’t let negative thoughts overcome you

Every time a negative thought comes in your mind, it is OK. Don’t try to fight it by saying, “This should not have happened”, “He should not have done this”, and so on. Neither should you beat yourself up by saying, “I should not be thinking this way”. Relax. Everything which is happening is ok. What you are thinking (positive or negative) is also ok. Don’t fight your negative thoughts. Instead, recognize them as part of your being, and then you will get over them. Try this to realize its power. Don’t resist things, let it be. And only then you can get over them and reach the next level.

10. Have some time alone

Try keeping some time just for you. I love to sit silent sometimes doing nothing, and if nothing else, I love going on long walks. It helps me reflect on the way my life has been going. Sometimes we just need to shut off all the noise of the world, all the comparisons, doubts, tensions about anything and experience the joy of being alive. You owe yourself that, and having some silent time only to yourself does just that.

Living life with passion is in itself a way to love oneself. Doing what you love and enjoy will fill your days with energy and excitement. So the next time you go out, treat yourself with an ice-cream or a treat you always cherished. Get drenched in the rain and feel the smell of the rain touching the earth. Forget about your TODO list and just BE happy. Talk to some old friends, listen to your favorite music, or just pick up a painting book and start painting.

When was the last time you did all that? It had been a long time, isn’t it? So go out, and be a superhero. Make magic. Be your own best friend.

5 Ways to Love Yourself

Loving ourselves could be one of the most difficult task for many of us, yet it is very important and significant in our lives. All of us are unique in some talents and skills, and it is our duty to discover our talents and love ourselves for having them. Loving oneself is also related to self-esteem, self-confidence and self-respect sometimes. But it is not about loving oneself as an object, it is not about loving our body or anything physical. Loving oneself comes from within, so in that sense, self-love is more like an attitude and feeling.

The art of loving ourself begins with acceptance of what we are and what we are not. We then no longer seek happiness and fulfillment from people and objects in the outside world, but from within ourselves. It also does not mean being arrogant or over-confident or feeling better than anybody else. It means having a self-respect for ourself as a human being, a self-respect which is not dependent on external factors. Below are 5 simple ways to love oneself daily –

1. Acknowledge your efforts

When we do something good, very often we seek acknowledgement from others (normally higher authority) but often forget to acknowledge ourself for the wonderful work we have been putting in. So do it now, and do it daily. Acknowledge yourself for the effort you have been putting at work, acknowledge yourself for performing your duties as a son, father, mother, brother, and so on. Feel good about the good you are doing to the world.

“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance” - Oscar Wilde

“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance” - Oscar Wilde

2. No worries

There is never any point worrying about the past or the future. We all know this fact, yet sometimes we can’t stop ourselves from worrying. If we truly become independent of others’ behavior and how situations turn out, we will cease to worry. By worrying we loose the only moment we really have, the present moment. We should aim to enjoy the current moment to the maximum rather than worrying about what is not in our hands.

3. Forgive your mistakes, trust your abilities

We all are human beings, and we have all made mistakes. We might have lost a business opportunity, or we might have hurt some loved ones by our words. While it is human to make mistakes, it is also human to forgive ourselves and not feeling guilty about them, and move on with life. Because life moves ahead and not backwards, we should take the lessons from our past mistakes and trust our abilities to make better use of our time and opportunities that will come our way in the future.

4. Take breaks, relax

Life has become so fast paced these days that quite often we found ourselves so busy in our day to day activities that we loose track of time. Days turn to weeks and weeks to months before we realize the whole year has passed by. All this also leads to stress, tension and diseases due to an unhealthy lifestyle and habits like smoking and drinking. It is very important to take regular breaks to relax and just have some fun, either alone in reflection or spending some light moments with our friends and family. So take a leave every few weeks, just for relaxation, go out for a vacation once in a while, irrespective of how busy you are or how much your work demands of you.

5. Fun Fun Fun in everything you do

Life is one short journey, and yours will end too as it ends for everybody else. And everything you do revolves around people, whether at home, work or on the streets. So have fun at home by playing around with your kids. Have fun at work by not taking things too seriously. Spread smiles on the road by wishing everyone a good day. Count how many times you smile and laugh, and plot it on a graph. The upside of this graph is more important that the graph of your revenues and bottom lines.