4 Simple Ways to Practice Self Love

Another beautiful week in Amberlight Valley has brought me to another blog post, or love letter if you will. I cannot express the immense amount of gratitude I have for you, thank you so much for being part of my reader community. I wanted to share 4 Simple Ways to Practice Self Love with you today. This is so important. Let me know which of these you plan to try out first!

“You know, I don’t ever think there is shame in asking for help. We all need help every now and then.” -Grandma Maribel (Hashtag Blessed the Movie)

1. Speak Affirmations You Actually Believe

Affirmations. I feel like they have such a wonky reputation, some people are all for them, others claim that Affirmations are a way to escape reality. Whatever your philosophy is about Affirmations, my personal theory on them is to use the ones you actually believe. It took me years to realize that the Affirmations I was using were making me feel the opposite of what I was aiming for, because I didn’t believe what I was telling myself.

Here are a few sample Affirmations to try out:

• I deserve to live a life filled with Joy.

• I am learning every day.

• I am becoming who I want to be, with the choices I am making.

Of course, the best affirmations for you are the ones you believe. I encourage you to take a look and think back to your childhood to find the activities that used to light you up. You may find some beautiful affirmations (and activities) to practice.

2. Eat Foods that Actually Support You

It may sound obvious, but how often do we grab food that makes us feel less than awesome? It really is as simple as you can imagine… next time you sit down for a meal be a bit more mindful of how each of the foods you have chosen makes you feel as you eat it, but more importantly check in with yourself later in the day to see how you feel.

If certain foods (or beverages) make you feel bloated, lethargic, hyper, wired, or any version of “not awesome”, it may be time to consider consuming less of that food/drink or removing it from your list of foods to consume. Some foods we may not notice that we have a sensitivity to until later on in the day. Ultimately, you want to feel fresh and vibrant and choosing the foods that make you feel this way is absolutely in your best interest.

3. Make Time to Live Life Authentically

What makes you smile? Which people do you enjoy spending time with? How often do you take time to do things that bring true joy to your heart? Are you actually living your life in the driver’s seat, or are you merely a passenger in your own life? Living your life Authentically doesn’t mean that you are volatile and dumping your opinions on any ear that will listen, but making the conscious decision to be in the driver’s seat of your life. I used to think that I needed to share everything with everyone, but I soon came to realize that allowing things to unfold was a much gentler approach.

I no longer fear being myself in the Public eye, which (as someone that values their Privacy very much) is a huge step in regards to Authenticity. I spent many hours journaling on what I want my life to look and feel like for me. Everyday I make every effort to live my life in alignment with that. Overwhelm still happens to me, but is now mores an indicator for me that something needs to shift because I am not in alignment with my truth, my life, or my heart. Which brings me to the last Self Care Practice I want to share with you today…

4. Eliminate that Which does Not Serve

Sometimes we tend to forget the obvious, and that is why I am sharing about this with you. Get rid of everything… everything within your realm of power and circle of control that makes you feel like garbage. Thoughts, clothes, food, stressful obligations, clutter, and unhealthy habits are all worth eliminating from your life. I absolutely mean it when I say that decluttering my life has helped me see what is truly important to me, and has freed up more time for those activities and people.

One of the harder categories of life to eliminate are the people that bring us down, or make us feel like crap. If you absolutely cannot cut ties with these friends of family members (I totally understand this), you do have the option to simply minimize the time you spend with them. This simple choice can make a world of a difference for your mental health and your emotional well-being.

I hope you found this helpful today.

I would love to know, as one of my treasured readers, which of these you plan to try first.

With Love + Whimsy,

Dalea