What Is Self Love, I Wondered When My Daughter Asked, ‘Ma What Do You Like About Yourself?’

I wish I had a mirror in my hand, which would tell my future. How great it would be to have a mirror that would answer your questions? You could ask what is needed to create the life you desire. Or predict what the future holds. Or find out what is self love.

In school days I used the mirror to dress up well for school; the mirror gave me the confidence to take part in school competitions and activities. As I grew older, I tried my best to please everyone around me.

As I got even older, I did not get the time to look at the mirror. I am rushing to get things done, not caring for myself. We forget that we need to take care of ourselves as we get busy taking care of the family. We forget what is self love, and how we need to incorporate it in our lives.

It made me introspect: what is self love?

I kept thinking, and couldn’t answer to her question. The mirror I used to look at, gave me all my past reflection and memories, nothing at the present moment. My achievements, my past actions but never told me it’s time to take care of myself.

I opened my diary and started writing on a new topic titled “What do I like about myself”, and thought for a while. I was proud of my list, and to my surprise, my small list is not smaller than I ever could have imagined. Day after day, I found myself returning to my list and adding my qualities and achievements that I took pride in; I started to love myself, my discovery, my bravery, my curiosity, my compassion.

From this I learned what is self care all about, It went like this:-

S Stay calm
E Enjoy life
L Learn a new task
F Focus on what you like
C Control your diet
A Affirmation- practice positive Affirmation
R Recharge yourself
E Exercise

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It hasn’t been an easy journey, sometimes it is very, very difficult to understand and find out what makes you happy.

If you are someone who is struggling to find the ME time, I want you to know that you are not alone.

To take care of one self is not a difficult task; you don’t need more time, energy, or money. There are numerous ways to take better care of ourselves that help us in our busy lives. You just need to have creativity and put in a little effort.

Here are few tips that can help you to take care of yourself

Follow good health guidelines. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water. Stay hydrated.

Spend time with people who make you happy. Don’t waste time on people who don’t treat you well. Live, love and laugh at all times. Avoid negative feelings, try to embrace positivity into your life.

Learn a new art or experiment; create something from which you can develop a hobby. List the things that give you joy, whether it’s a hobby you’ve ignored or a creative talent that you would like to develop; it’s time to invest in you.

Spend time doing outdoor activities like playing new games, travelling, learning photography or find a picnic spot you love.

Very soon you will experience the inner peace. There is a deep need in all of us to be loved and appreciated for who we truly are. So next time when you look at the mirror, keep smiling and forget the past.

Image source: shutterstock

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