Self Love: What Does It Really Mean?

Self love, self care, hygge. We hear about it everywhere but what does it really mean?

Self love and taking care of yourself is a very individual thing but it has one thing in common for everyone. It’s about looking after yourself, appreciating you for the person you are.

Yes, that means looking after YOU. Without guilt.

Are you that person who finds it hard to relax, always chasing your tail running from one list to another constantly feeling frazzled?

Relaxing can be one thing that women find very hard to do and it can be a real challenge. I used to be that person who was so busy trying to take care of everybody else I forgot about myself. Once I realised the importance of self care and I looked after myself properly, that is when my life very quickly became so much happier.

Self care will mean different things to different people but this is what self care means to me:

Nourishing my body with good food. What we eat can have a direct impact on our health. So, put in the good and remove the bad and, by giving your body nutritious food to eat, your body will thank you for it. As the saying goes, ‘you are what you eat’.
For me, it’s the little things. Find your happy place. Do the things that you know will help to lift your mood such as:
- Getting out in nature
- Sitting on a park bench watching the world go by
- Reading a good book
- Having a cuppa
- Sitting still
- Meeting with a friend
- Exercising
- Having a bath
- Having an early night
- Treating yourself to a treatment/massage

Surround yourself with positive people who support you.

Set yourself boundaries to protect you and help to build resilience. Adopting some of these tips will help you to manage stress and help you to feel calm and more in control.