14 Ways To Practice Self-Love
written by Jasmine Irven
We seem to live in the era of self-care and self-love, and while I know some people may be over it, I am absolutely here for it.
Because when you can truly connect with and love yourself, you become so much more available to love and connect with others.
I’m sure we’ve all heard the analogy comparing self-love to a flight in crisis; flight attendants always say, “put on your own oxygen mask before assisting anyone else,” and it’s the absolute truth.
You will be unable to help anyone else if you aren’t able to take the time to help yourself first.
Self-love and care are huge umbrellas; they include everything being able to forgive yourself for past mistakes, to taking care of your finances so your future you will be comfortable, to setting boundaries with loved ones, to shutting off your phone an hour before bed, to practicing self-compassion, to booking yourself a weekend getaway.
Self-love isn’t always fun and insta-grammable. Sometimes it’s doing the hard or uncomfortable thing because you know it’s for the best.
But, because I wanted this post to be fun, this list does not include those hard things, conversations, boundaries, etc.
The items in this list are all simple and super actionable so that you can implement them today, in your own space, at your own leisure. 💛
Note: This content was originally posted as part of my Valentine’s Day Gift Guide, but I felt it really went beyond that and wanted to share it as a separate post!
01 colour
Colouring is such a great way to connect with our inner child and our inner creative. Pinterest is a great place to search for beautiful colouring pages if you don’t have a colouring book! Or consider checking out your local second-hand shop to see if there are any lightly used colouring books.
P.s. we also have a free colouring page download. Grab it here. 💖
02 draw a bath
Draw a bath for yourself and be sure to include bath salts, essential oils, and/or some dried flowers or dehydrated fruit to upgrade the experience.
Having some products on hand like a body scrub (you can buy this or DIY it with some brown sugar, coconut oil, jojoba seed oil, etc.) and moisturizer (coconut oil works great on its own for this) can also be great ways to upgrade your experience.
(P.s. make sure you also have a cup of cold water nearby to sip on while you’re bathing as hot water can be very dehydrating!)
Finally, I’d suggest setting the mood with some candles and relaxing music, and grabbing your favourite book.
03 at home spa
There’s no need to spend a ton of money at a spa if you don’t have it! Instead simply take some time to pamper yourself at home.
Consider setting up a facial station (boiling some water in a pot, adding some optional essential oils, and then safely holding your face overtop with a towel over your head and inhaling deeply – being careful not to get too close), doing a face mask, showering, using a body scrub and moisturizer, and sitting down with some tea.
04 read
Because we rarely seem to make enough time to read and yet it’s something so many of us say we want to do more often! Set aside some uninterrupted time with a new or favourite book, a cozy blanket, and your favourite warm drink.
05 cook a nourishing meal
Either trying something new or preparing a meal you know and love!
06 order take out
In contrast to the above, if you’re always cooking, consider taking the night off and relieving some pressure by ordering take-out.
07 watch a fave show
Sometimes all you need is a night off to watch back-to-back episodes of your favourite Netflix special with no judgement. And we’re here for that.
08 walk in nature
Connect with the outdoors; without your phone, without responsibilities, just mindful walking.
09 burn incense and do some mindful breathing
Burning incense is one of many beautiful ways to experience the effects of aromatherapy.
Pick a scent that correlates with your intention (for example lavender for relaxation, cedar for grounding, or spruce for refreshing), and invite the energy of the scent into your breathing practise and environment as a whole.
10 movement
Go to a hot yoga class or another workout class to get some energy in your body flowing!
11 do a mini life edit
Show yourself and/or your space some love by taking an audit of some of the things in it: people, physical objects, clothes, food, your online presence, etc. Ask yourself what is no longer serving you and take this as an opportunity to clear space.
12 book yourself a massage
We’re always into this idea. While self-care doesn’t need to involve spending money, if you have the means to do so, booking an appointment like a massage, facial, or manicure can be a great way to treat yourself in a new and exciting way.
13 journal
Consider doing a gratitude or self-love journal practise: what are 10 things you love about yourself? What are 3 things you love about your life? What are 5 things you’re grateful for? What can you do to bring more happiness to your day.
Looking for a daily journal practise? Check out this post on morning pages (it includes a guide + writing prompts for beginners).
14 meditate
There are so many forms of meditation it’s incredibly easy to find one to speak into any feeling you may be experiencing. If you’re looking for something related to love, try a metta (loving-kindness meditation) practice! The general idea of this practice is to connect with your heart and offer love to yourself and others through a mantra meditation.
You can find these guided online or consider guiding it yourself by following this basic structure.
final thoughts
I hope this list gave you some inspiration for the next time you feel you need a little self-love (umm might I recommend today being that day!?).
However, if none of these resonated with you that’s also totally okay! Self-love is (as the name suggests), very personal, and it’s important to find practises and rituals that speak to you.
Consider making a list of 10-15 things that bring you bliss.
What do you do when no one else is around?
What do you fall back on when you’re lonely or sad?
What’s gotten you through tough times in the past?
These can all be used as prompts for developing your own self-love list to turn to whenever you feel you need a little extra support. 💛
What are some of your favourite forms of self-love? Leave them in the comments so we can all be inspired!
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
