What is Self-Love?

Feb 01, 2022

Self-love is the basis for a fulfilled life. Only those who care enough for themselves can also feel compassion and love for others.

On Valentine's Day, we show our loved ones that we love them from the bottom of our hearts with a little something. It is not only on 14 February that a gift or gesture highlights the special value of a relationship. Small expressions of love are important at any time. They increase the feeling of deep connection and love for each other.

And what about our relationship with ourselves? Can we lovingly do good to ourselves, value ourselves and love ourselves as we are?

Self-love plays a fundamental role in a fulfilled life. Giving yourself enough self-love and care is a learning process. It consists of many small building blocks and is constantly being deepened. In February, Self-Love Month at LUVIYO, you will receive a lot of information and inspiring suggestions.

It is not important to do everything at once. Find out what appeals to you personally and what you would like to try.

Selfcare protects against burnout

We all wish for inner strength and serenity. But in the hectic pace of everyday life, our energy reserves are quickly depleted. Instead, we feel stressed and drained. Although we perceive this, we take too few breaks and keep sprinting on the hamster wheel. When stress symptoms such as inner restlessness, insomnia and excessive demands become our companions, it is a clear sign of an overloaded autonomic nervous system. At this point at the latest, it is time to take countermeasures to avoid slipping into burnout. Every small step in the right direction counts.

Developing awareness for self-care

It is not selfish at all to satisfy your own needs, but immensely important. You don't need to have a guilty conscience about giving yourself priority for once. Psychologist and best-selling author Ulrike Scheuermann describes this in her book "Selfcare - you are valuable". She thinks we are too hard on ourselves. Only when our self-perception is loving and empathic can we open ourselves to the concerns of others and the world. Self-love creates compassion, so it is the opposite of selfishness and egocentricity.

Self-care starts with basic needs

We automatically fulfil basic physiological needs such as eating, drinking and sleeping every day. But in what way? We often eat something quickly on the side, drink too little, consume media in abundance or sit in front of the TV too long in the evening. We all know it would be much healthier to consciously enjoy our meals, go for a walk in the fresh air, do some exercise and let the day end in a relaxed way. Why do we only manage to break the old habits with difficulty?

Mindfulness is the key

We are usually too focused on the outside, we have lost love and understanding for ourselves. The high daily demands take up our energy, there is almost nothing left for us.

Only when you are mindful of yourself can you redirect the energy and do the things you set out to do. You have to practise noticing the signals and reacting to them. Mindfulness is a treasure chest with which you can consciously do good things for your well-being in everyday life.

Draw healthy boundaries

If you notice that everything is getting too much, take a close look: Which things have priority? Which things can you delegate, leave out or postpone until later? A well-founded, clear "no" takes a lot of pressure off you. With a good feeling, you can tackle the existing challenges and keep the necessary time for yourself.

Even if you think you have to do something because it is expected of you: Trust your inner voice when you feel uncomfortable. You know best what is good for you.

Appointments with yourself

In order to make room for relaxation in your daily routine, you should set aside specific times for it from now on. Maybe you should mark the times in your calendar right away. Ten minutes in the morning or half an hour in the evening is enough, as long as you do it.

Daily self-care time increases your quality of life. You radiate outwards because you feel valuable. Self-doubt and feelings of inferiority dissolve more and more. Since you stand up for your needs, you become satisfied and authentic. It is worthwhile to take this healing path - for yourself and for others.

Incorporate self-care into everyday life - time for your well-being

1. exercise in the fresh air

The cells need fresh oxygen so that the organism works optimally. A short walk floods you with fresh energy. You immediately feel more vital and cheerful. It is particularly relaxing for the nervous system to walk in the forest or along the water. Nature takes you as you are right now. You feel grounded. Your thoughts flow freely again and you can concentrate much better. Despite the break, you save time because you work more effectively.

2. stretching exercises,yoga

Our bodies get tense from sitting a lot or doing one-sided activities. That's why it's important to do some stretching exercises every day. It doesn't have to be a big exercise programme. You can feel which movements are good for you and do your own favourite exercises.

Try our free yoga flows here.

You can also reduce mental tension with yoga. Body and mind are closely connected. The outside affects the inside and vice versa. In the following yoga blog post you will find wonderful suggestions and exercises especially for the winter season. Read more here

3. reading a good book - book tip

Whether a beautiful novel or a spiritual book - anything that fascinates you and encourages you to read on is food for your soul.

Here is a book that can help you to better accept and work through your own feelings:

"Open your heart instead of breaking your head" by Safi Nidiaye.

It is suitable if you want to go deeper, dissolve the past and pain. Self-discovery is an important aspect of finally being able to love yourself. If necessary, don't be afraid to seek professional support. It is a path of healing.

4. meditation

When meditating, you consciously make contact with your breathing. In this way you connect with yourself and feel inside yourself. Let the thoughts come and go without judging them. You simply perceive what is happening at the moment. At first it is not easy to go into silence. But at some point you will feel deep peace and a connection to the whole. A feeling of trust and unconditional self-love. Pure happiness in the here and now and the certainty of being part of the universe.

You can start with guided meditations or try other types of relaxation methods such as progressive muscle relaxation or autogenic training. A fixed feel-good place will put you in the right mood.

Metta Meditation

The Buddhist "meditation of loving kindness", also called "metta meditation", is wonderful for developing self-love. "Metta" means love, kindness of heart, friendliness. In this multi-step meditation you first develop compassion for yourself and then for others. Self-love and the care of one's own life were already taught in the millennia-old Chinese tradition.

We present the first part of this meditation. Internalise the sentences by saying them aloud or in your mind every day:

"May I be happy and content."
"May I be safe and secure."
"May I be healthy and free from pain."
"May I master my life light-heartedly and with ease."

5. journaling, gratitude diary

Something is on your mind and on your heart? Just write down your thoughts by hand. It is an effective way to express feelings and process things. You get into deep contact with yourself while writing. Afterwards you feel free and clear and can use the insights.

You can also create a nice booklet in which you write down a few points every evening: What made you happy or proud this day? What brought you a bit forward today? Which moment was the most beautiful? In this way, you direct your focus on good things and become more optimistic.

"We are what we think. Everything we are arises from our thoughts. With our thoughts we shape the world."

-Buddha-