1. be kind to yourself.
Acceptance. Most people who are striving to improve don’t want to accept themselves as they are. They want to be “better” which means they can’t accept who they are now. But you can’t hate your way to “self-love.” You are human with flaws so get over it and embrace it.
Forgiveness. We see others' flaws and humanity so much more easily than our own. Forgive yourself for not being perfect! For the mistakes you’ve made. Stop re-living them. Avoid being the judge and retrying the case over and over. Free yourself.
Patience. Most of us put so much pressure on ourselves to get everything done now. This leads to guilt and then more stress and often even more procrastination. Give yourself the gift of growth, no matter how long something may take you to learn and master.
2. help someone else.
Mark Twain said, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”
So, if you want to love yourself more, help someone else.
- Be of service somehow, somewhere or for someone.
- Join a service group or organization.
- Open a door for someone or pick up some trash; do a small good deed no matter who sees it.
- Call a friend or family member who needs cheering up.
- Or, simply smile at someone and give a compliment.
- Focusing on someone else or doing something helpful in the world around you, makes you feel good. And that in turn, will help you love yourself more.
Work on these two areas a little bit each day and your life will change for the better.
