Living Authentically: Embracing Self-Love

As a challenge for 2024, I suggested that we be intentional each day in our routines and focus on living with intention to cultivate a healthier and more present self. Being authentically yourself and loving yourself leads to a greater sense of fulfillment.

When you have a positive relationship with yourself, you become less dependent on external approval. By focusing on being authentically yourself, you stand by your beliefs and are less influenced by other people's opinions, leading to a healthier and more present self. It’s about being genuine and true to yourself, even when faced with challenges or going against the grain. Focus on self-love by treating yourself with kindness, recognizing your self-worth, and prioritizing personal growth. 

Focus on Self-Love: Use the month of February as an opportunity to prioritize self-love and self-care. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion, engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Maybe you can enjoy your favorite hobby, take a walk, or have a cozy movie night.

Self-Worth: Loving yourself means recognizing your worth and value as a person, independent of external factors like achievements or other relationships. When you love yourself, you believe in your own worthiness and treat yourself with kindness and respect. One activity you can do to boost your self-worth is to write down three things you appreciate about yourself each day.

Personal Growth: Loving yourself involves prioritizing personal growth and self-improvement. When you have a positive relationship with yourself, you are motivated to learn, grow, and evolve as a person. You embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and take steps to become the best version of yourself. A specific activity for personal growth could be to challenge yourself to learn a new skill or hobby or read a new author.

Research says self-love is important and growing this positive mindset has many evidence-based benefits. Eric Fields and Gina R. Kuperberg, researchers from Tufts University's Department of Psychology, suggest that having a positive self-image yourself is essential for healthy psychological functioning, affecting self-esteem, motivation, and determination.

To wrap it up, putting self-love, authenticity, and personal growth first can make life more fulfilling and when we're true to ourselves and treat ourselves well, we become stronger.