Hello GaG community :)
In a world focused on impressing other people, courting potential mates, and changing ourselves to suit the desires of others, we often lose sight of ourselves. This may lead to depression and social anxiety if our attempts to fit in don't go as planned, or we are shunned in social situations. At the root of this analysis is the saying that one must love oneself before truly being able to love others. I will provide several examples of ways you can love yourself, with brief descriptions below.
Take Time for Yourself
Because we are social creatures, there is often a negative perception of being alone, but taking time to be alone and reflect may be a liberating experience. By taking time for yourself, you can escape the desires and wishes of other people, and truly focus on what makes you happy. Everything in this myTake may follow from taking time to reflect. Benefits of this practice include:
- increased productivity
- sparks creativity
- helps build mental strength and fortitude
- gives you an opportunity to plan your life
Find a Hobby that you are Passionate About
A hobby that you are passionate about can range anywhere from joining a club (such as your local sailing club if you like to sail, a golf club, a sports league, etc) or manual hobbies such as painting, woodwork, sketching, or music, amongst others. These activities prevent you from becoming bored, and provide an opportunity to develop aspects of yourself that you enjoy. In this way, you may become more confident sharing these experiences with other people, while making you appear more interesting in other's eyes. Joining a club may also help introduce you to other people in the area that share a similar passion, who may open up a wealth of connections. Similarly, these activities may develop self-confidence, build respect and teamwork, relieve stress, assist with developing valuable time management skills, and help in developing soft-skills.
Travel the World
Whether it's by yourself or with other people, travelling the world and seeing areas outside of your own locale is important. Experience different cultures, cuisines, art, languages and ways of life in order to form a better appreciation of your own culture. Travelling allows you to get away from the working life, time that may serve to find what you are passionate about. Benefits of travel are plentiful, such as:
- enhances your tolerance of uncertainty and how to handle unfamiliar circumstances
- creates memories for a lifetime that you may share later with loved ones
- broadens your horizons
- relieves stress and tension from our everyday lives
- helps form creative thoughts
Live a Healthy Life and Exercise
If you look in the mirror and are unhappy because of your body image, or feel that you are lacking energy every day, shifting your focus towards a healthy lifestyle and exercise may help. Exercise has been shown to improve mood by increasing body endorphins (produce positive "highs" and reduce pain perception), to rewire neurotransmission in the brain that regulates stress and anxiety, and to decrease feelings of depression and stress. Several other benefits of regular exercise include improved skin, bone and muscle health, enhanced cognition, relaxation and sleep quality, improved memory, and a reduced risk of chronic disease (such as metabolic syndrome). Importantly enough, all exercise is excellent, regardless of the intensity level (anywhere from yoga, to intense aerobic exercise).
Similarly, living a healthy lifestyle through food has its own health benefits. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, while diets rich in fibre have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Healthy diets, while improving weight loss, may also improve mood, memory, and gut microbe health.
Look in the Mirror and Confidently Say "I am my Best Possible Self"
Loving yourself really starts and ends with telling yourself that you are your best possible self, that you are confident in body and in mind, and that no one else can change you. This is often the most challenging part, and must follow a long period of introspection and self-reflection. If there are situations that make you uncomfortable (such as going up and meeting new people, or presenting a case in front of co-workers), start every morning looking in the mirror and saying out loud "I'm just going to DO IT". Continue to do this until you truly feel physically what you are thinking mentally. You must become comfortable in your own skin, and I believe that only then can you truly love someone else. Truly if you can do this, only then will that nervous kitten you once were become a lion.
In Conclusion
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather, it provides a starting point with which to begin loving yourself. Try these practices, and reflect on your day to day life to find things that may make you happier. If you are living a miserable life, always think about ways to make it better. Ultimately, only you can know you!
Thanks for reading :)
~ JC
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