This is a series about authenticity, validation, self-belief and personal power.
The importance of loving yourself
How do you show your love to someone? Most people convey their warmth, tenderness, kindness and support by the way they speak and act towards the other person.
But have you ever thought of showing love to yourself?
I now believe that nothing is more important than loving yourself in a true, steady, heartfelt way, with the ability to comfort yourself and trust and validate your own opinions and feelings. From that basis, you are then in the very best position to make a contribution to the world and relate to other people.
If you’ve been lacking in that area and now learning to love and support yourself, then this article is for you. One easy way to develop your own self love is to think of ways to treat yourself well.
If you’ve always been taught to put others before yourself, it can be hard to think about loving yourself more. Trying some self-love activities can be a good way to turn things around. By showing true, loving devotion to yourself, you begin to realise how your own self-love has been lacking. You may be kept busy with all sorts of activities and interests in your spare time, but your inner self has been missing out.
How you show yourself love
A good way to develop and re-affirm your own self-love is to focus on doing some lovely, supportive things for yourself.
If you have a healthy degree of self-love, you should be willing to treat and indulge yourself in the same loving and indulgent way that you treat a loved one. If you commit to trying that, you’ll find it makes a huge difference to your happiness and wellbeing.
Ways to show devoted self-love
Here are my suggestions to kick-start and develop your self-love in a profound way. Try some or all of them, or come up with your own wonderful ideas. Your inner being will thank you.
- Enjoy beauty treatments such as facials, massages, manicures, pedicures and hairdressing. If you can’t afford to go a salon, then you can do it yourself.
- Indulge yourself with a bunch of flowers or a perfumed candle.
- Do some regular exercise to show your body how much you care. Walking wherever there is greenery is perfect for your mind, body and soul.
- Commit to healthy eating, with a well-balanced diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables, some meat, whole-grain carbohydrates and dairy products.
- Try journaling, writing down your thoughts and feelings each day.
- Maintain your social health by talking regularly to friends and relatives, and trying an activity to meet new people.
- Devote time to meditation and releasing any trauma from deep inside you.
- Commit devoted time to true, restful relaxation.
- Learn to listen to, nurture and respect your own opinions and feelings. Don’t let other people tell you how you should feel about anything.
- Commit to always giving yourself positive self-talk and loving support. Decide to never bag out, harass or criticise yourself again.
- Spend time by yourself. Take yourself to places you love, or do activities that you enjoy.
- Take loving pride in your appearance, just to please yourself – in your clothes, grooming, makeup and hairstyle.
Has this inspired you to show yourself more love? I’d love to hear your comments.
Here are my previous Articles in this series:
Validate Yourself – and Transform Your Life
Your Values and Living Your Truth
Standards – a vital part of living your truth
Having Boundaries – for healthy relationships
Authenticity and how to be authentic
Your Own Opinions and Feelings
Meditation and Spending Time With Yourself
#authenticity #selfesteem #wellbeing
Thank you for stopping by. My name is Toni Pike, a multi-genre author who loves writing thrillers for adults, non-fiction, and hilarious books for children.
I’m the author of DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series: THE MAGUS COVENANT, THE ROCK OF MAGUS, THE MAGUS EPIPHANY and HOLY SPEAR OF MAGUS.
The Brody Cody Series is for children aged 6-9: BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE and BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE.
I’m also the author of two non-fiction books. THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to losing weight and HAPPY TRAVELS 101 is a short book of travel tips.
All my books can be found HERE.
You can find me online here:
Website: tonipike.com
Amazon author page: Toni Pike
Instagram: @authorlovestravel – Sharing my travel photos from around the world
Facebook: Toni Pike – Author
Twitter: @piketoni1
Linkedin Toni Pike – Linkedin
Email: authortoni.pike@gmail.com
Text and Image copyright © 2021 Toni Pike – All Rights Reserved
Hi Toni, thank you for this informative post. Most mothers are not very good at self care especially when their kids are young. Looking at your list, I’m still not very good at it.
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Thanks, Robbie. It’s so hard for mothers to find time for themselves, but so important. Toni x
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Great tips Toni, I think spending time alone is often forgotten as a source of self love! Thanks for the reminders 🙂
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Thanks very much, Deb – I’m glad you liked it. Toni😍
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Thanks for sharing this informative and encouraging post, Toni! Wonderful tips to embrace. Wishing you a beautiful Sunday! xo
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Thank you very much, Natalie – have a wonderful week, and I hope you find lots of ways be lovely to yourself. Toni x
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A great list. A nice long bubble bath with candles and soft music works for me.
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That sounds wonderful, Darlene, and so well-deserved. Have a fabulous week. Toni x
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I think your list is great, Toni. People sometimes ask me if I would do anything differently if I were still teaching. My answer is always the same now. “To look after me as much as I did my students.” If we don’t take care of ourselves, then how much help can we be to others?
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That is great, Pete – I agree with you so much. We set the best example when we honour, respect and take very good care of ourselves.
Toni
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Excellent post Toni.. and so important to follow your suggestions. People run themselves ragged looking after everyone else, forgetting that if they are not strong in body and mind, they won’t be able to sustain that level of support for others… hugsxx
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Thanks, Sally – I so agree with you. We need to look after our own body, mind and spirit to put us in the best position to help everyone else. Toni x
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♥
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Thanks, Toni. A very important topic. I’m very much of the school of thinking about others first, but over the years, from personal and professional experience, I’ve come to appreciate that even if we want to help others, we need to take good care of ourselves first. I follow some of your suggestions (I love to walk, exercise and meditate) and particularly appreciate the fact that you mention a healthy diet, as a lot of people think of indulging themselves in terms of either drinking or eating things that are not necessarily good in the long term, but there is much to say for enjoying the simple things in life. Excellent suggestions! (Oh, and I do need my time alone, for sure).
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Thank you for your lovely comments, Olga. It sounds like you are taking wonderful and wise care of yourself. I’m so glad you’ve come to realize the importance of looking after yourself first. Toni x
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A timely reminder for me, thank you!
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That’s great, Liz. Have a lovely week. Toni x
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Thanks, Toni. I hope you’re having a good week.
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Excellent pointers Toni. I know I’m sorely lacking in my self care right now, I need to start taking some advice. So thanks for these essential reminders. ❤
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Thanks, Debby – now is an important time to surround yourself with self-care. Toni ❤❤❤
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I know this. I’ll get there ❤
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❤️❤️❤️
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Hi Toni, I’m certainly old enough to appreciate this now…but my wonderful Mum brought me up to care about other people, and I really do. However, I’m enough of a hedonist to know what I like too..My needs are simple: to have those I love around me as much as possible, immerse myself in nature whenever possible; listen – really listen… to birdsong and some of the beautiful music on radio-TV. Read a good book, have a pedicure occasionally, cuddle up on the settee with my beloved (wonderful travels & memories to muse on…), open up my laptop and share words with friends, write something noteworthy now and then…Oh, and a modest amount of dark chocolate and I’m purring.. Thank you. x .
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That sounds wonderful, Joy! You clearly know how to love and nurture yourself. Toni x
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Toni, this is such an important topic. I confess that it is something that is nearly impossible for me to do. I try to work on that… It’s wonderful that you did this post — and you did it so well. Hugs on the wing.
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Aww, thank you so much, Teagan. You need to give yourself the same loving care that you always give to others. Congratulations on your wonderful writing. Toni x
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You’re so kind — thank you. More hugs.
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