A Self Love Routine That Can Change Your Life

Last Updated on November 18, 2022

Self-love is one of the most important things we can give ourselves. It is essential for our happiness, mental health, and overall well-being.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t have a good relationship with ourselves. In fact, we may treat others with more respect than we give ourselves.

We criticize ourselves, put ourselves down, and generally don’t treat ourselves with the love and respect we deserve.

This has to change if we want to be happy and fulfilled in our lives, my friend. Let’s take a deeper dive into what self-love is, why it’s so important, and how you can create a self love routine that can change your life!

Self-Love Defined

Before we discuss a self love routine, it’s important – actually, it’s essential – to understand what self-love is, and what it isn’t.

When you love yourself, you treat yourself with kindness and respect. You also forgive yourself when you make mistakes, and celebrate your successes.

Some people think that self-love is selfish, but it’s the opposite. When you love yourself, you have more love to give to others. You’re also more likely to make choices that are good for your physical and mental health.

Unfortunately, many of us were never taught how to love ourselves. We might even believe some of the common myths about self-love, such as “I need to be perfect before I can love myself” or “I need other people’s approval before I can love myself.”

If you grew up hearing messages like these, it’s no wonder you struggle with self-love! The good news is that it’s never too late to learn.

Start by recognizing that you’re worthy of love, just as you are. Then practice treating yourself with kindness and respect.

Why Self-Love is Essential

When it comes to self-love, it’s easy to brush it off as being selfish as we noted above. However, the truth is that self-love is essential for a healthy and fulfilling life.

Without self-love, we can quickly become bogged down by negative thoughts and feelings. We may start to believe that we’re not good enough, that we don’t deserve happiness, and that we’ll never be good enough. This can lead to a downward spiral of negative thinking, which can be difficult to break out of.

When we love ourselves, on the other hand, we open up the possibility for a life full of happiness and positivity. We permit ourselves to be happy, to be proud of our accomplishments, and to enjoy our lives.

We also set the stage for healthy relationships with others. When we love and respect ourselves, we’re more likely to behave in ways that are loving and respectful towards others.

If you’re sincerely searching for a morning routine, a new morning ritual, or actions you can take on your lunch break or sometime every single day, even if they’re not first thing in the morning, keep reading to learn how to shift your thinking and create a self-love routine that lasts.

A Self Love Routine That Can Change Your Life

In the morning

Starting your day with some self-love activities can help set the tone for the rest of the day. Here are five things you can do for your morning routine to show yourself some love:

1. Take some time for yourself as soon as you wake up. Whether it’s reading, journaling, meditation, or just enjoying a cup of coffee in peace, give yourself a few minutes to transition into the day without rushing.

2. Set an intention for the day. What do you want to focus on today? What kind of energy do you want to bring into your interactions with others? Taking a moment to connect with your intention can help guide your choices throughout the day.

3. Move your body in a way that feels good to you. A morning stretch, a quick walk around the block, or a full workout – whatever will get your body and mind moving in a way that feels good to you.

4. Drink water. Drinking a glass of water helps to rehydrate your body after a long night of sleep, and it’s also a great way to get your metabolism going. 

5. Give yourself positive affirmations. Say something nice to yourself in the mirror, such as “I am beautiful” or “I am worthy of love.” 

By starting your day with positive statements about yourself, you set the tone for the rest of the day. When you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts throughout the day, remember these affirmations and repeat them to yourself.

You deserve to love and respect yourself just as much as you deserve to receive love and respect from others. Affirmations are a powerful tool to help you create the life you want to live.

In the evening

So you want to show yourself some love? That’s great! Self-love is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Here are three self-love activities you can do in the evening:

1. Write down five things you did that made you feel good today. It doesn’t matter if they’re big or small – just five things that made you happy.

This helps you focus on the positive things in your day and cultivates gratitude.

2. Give yourself a compliment. We’re so used to putting ourselves down, but why not focus on the things we like about ourselves for a change?

Pick one thing you like about yourself and really cherish it. Focus on how good it makes you feel.

3. Set aside some time for self-care. This could be anything from taking a relaxing bath to reading your favorite book. Do something that makes you feel good, inside and out.

These are just three self-love activities you can do in the evening. The most important thing is to be gentle with yourself and remember that YOU deserve love, too.

Anytime

A lot of self-love starts with self-acceptance. Learn to love all parts of yourself, even the ones you’re not so proud of.

Start your day with some positive self-talk (remember those morning affirmations we discussed earlier?) Remind yourself of all the things you love about yourself, both inside and out, and enjoy spending time with yourself.

Talk kindly to yourself. Start your day by looking in the mirror and saying something positive to yourself, such as “I’m beautiful just the way I am” or “I’m worthy of love and respect.”

Throughout the day, make an effort to notice the negative things you say to yourself and try to reframe them in a more positive light. For example, instead of thinking “I can’t believe I made that mistake,” try telling yourself “Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I learn from my mistakes and move on.”

Once you can accept yourself, it’s a lot easier to start taking care of yourself. That means eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep.

Take care of your body. Show yourself some love by taking care of your body.

• Eat healthy foods that make you feel energized and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Get regular exercise to boost your mood and help your body function at its best.
• And don’t forget to pamper yourself with things like relaxing baths, massages, and new haircuts!

But it also means listening to your body and giving it what it needs. If you’re feeling stressed, take a break. If you need a good cry, let it out. Don’t try to bottle up your emotions.

Give yourself permission to feel all your emotions, without judgment. Crying is a perfectly natural way to release stress and tension.

And, it’s okay to feel sad, angry, or scared sometimes.

Acknowledging your emotions and allowing yourself to feel them fully is an important part of self-love. Suppressing your emotions can lead to unhealthy habits, such as binge eating or drinking, so it’s important to let them out in a healthy way.

Try writing in a journal, talking to a friend, or punching a pillow when you need to release some emotion.

And most importantly, be gentle with yourself. When you make a mistake, learn from it and move on. Forgive yourself and start fresh tomorrow. A little self-love goes a long way.

When Your Self-Love Efforts Fail

We all know how good it feels to show ourselves some love. Maybe you have a regular self-care routine that makes you feel refreshed and revitalized.

But even the best of us can let our self-love habits fall by the wayside from time to time.

Life gets busy, and it’s easy to forget to give ourselves the care and attention we deserve. So what do we do when we find ourselves in this situation?

First, take a step back and assess your current situation. What are you dealing with that has made it difficult to stick to your self-love routine? Once you identify the obstacle, you can begin to formulate a plan to overcome it.

Second, make a list of things that make you feel good. This can include anything from taking a relaxing bath to listening to your favorite music. When you’re feeling low, refer back to this list and do something that will make you feel good.

Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember that everyone makes mistakes and that it’s okay to slip up from time to time. The important thing is that you get back up and continue working on loving yourself. Your self-esteem and confidence will build back up, my friend.

Final Thoughts: Creating a Self-Love Routine to Change Your Life

It can be difficult to practice self-love and maintain a positive mindset when we are constantly met with self-doubt.

However, by establishing a daily routine that focuses on our own needs (that’s the self-love), we grow and learn to feel good about ourselves. In turn, that acceptance, confidence, and quieted heart that we feel on the inside continues to help us in our relationships with others and in our day-to-day living.