Self-love isn’t a trend; it’s the realization of self-worth. We need to realize what we mean to ourselves before we can give to others. We bury our self-worth in our body, mind, and soul. The mind, body, soul connection creates the ability to value ourselves.
Spiritually, physically, and mentally the search for self-love is rooted in how we feel about ourselves. We view who we are by how others view us far too often. Instead, we must step away from the expectations, disappointment, anger, and self- doubt we construct. Who are we? Can you answer the question? Avoid basing your answer on how others see us, which is wrapped in self-doubt or feelings of unworthiness. Recognize your potential and your beauty.
Spirituality
Our soul establishes our foundation. Building on the foundation, we discover our strengths. Strengths aren’t solely physical or mental; they are our essence. Nurturing our spirit takes time and forgiveness. Spirituality can mean religion, but it can also be defined as an action or feeling, making you feel at peace or grounded.
Becoming grounded isn’t easy. We need to set aside time to find what makes us feel relaxed, grounded, and ourselves. Trying new things or going back to a place you once felt comfort and strength is essential to building a strong foundation.
Traditions, readings, and community comfort make religion the answer for many. Whether you practice Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Wicca, Buddhism, or any other form of religion, find comfort, not condemnation. Allow the love and care of the words spoken by those who want to help seep into your soul.
Jess, a group leader, focused on maintaining sobriety with spirituality, explains why she went back to the religion she knew as a child.
“I was lost. My marriage ended; I hated myself because I thought my looks were what made my husband cheat. I went into a spiral. Depression, alcohol, and self-loathing pulled me down. When I hit bottom, I hit bottom. I felt I needed to go back to my roots, so I started attending services.
The community accepted me, picked me up, nurtured me, and helped me realize I was worth more than what I thought.”
The boundaries of spirituality extend beyond religion. How can we find our peace and love for ourselves if religion isn’t the right fit? We can look beyond the conventional ways and seek what feeds our soul. Spend time experimenting with different activities. Try journaling, walking in nature, painting, drawing, or anything else that creates a feeling of strength and peace. Ken explains why cycling connects him with his inner being.
“Cycling is, for me, a release. I leave my self-doubt, anxiety, and urge to give up behind. Once I clip in, everything else doesn’t matter. During my ride, I feel my body grow stronger, and my mind frees itself from all the negative thoughts. I try to carry that feeling of freedom, love of myself over into my daily activities. I am stronger because I know what I can achieve when I let the negative go and just be me.”
Body
Reconnecting with our bodies is a journey. We spend so much time punishing ourselves for what we think are our weaknesses. We forget how incredible our strengths make us. We are stronger when we nurture our bodies. Allow your body to heal from the abuse – the self-loathing. Whether we punished ourselves with alcohol, substances, cutting, eating disorders, or another form of abuse, we hurt ourselves. Learning to love ourselves through accepting our past and healing is a process.
Exercise is essential in our self-love journey. Through activities such as yoga, running, surfing, or whatever form of exercise you prefer, we build on the belief we are strong and worthy of love. Listening to our body tell us how it feels every day creates a sense of understanding and forgiveness for our past. Exercise also grants us the chance to realize self-love isn’t linear. We take steps forward and backward because those steps are forms of evolution. We sometimes need to go back so we can go ahead. Don’t be discouraged; allow the process to take you where you need to be that minute, hour, or day.
Mind
Our mind is where we dwell on positive and negative thoughts and emotions. Self- sabotage occurs in our minds. We can follow our hearts by accepting a form of spirituality into our lives, we can find strength in our bodies, but we also need to come to terms with our thoughts. Our thoughts are what drives us to self-love or self-doubt. We stand to lose everything if we don’t believe in our progress. Progress lies in connecting the feelings of peace, comfort, and strength, letting them nourish our minds.
Nourishment is subjective. We can find peace of mind through taking new classes, expanding our knowledge base, or forgiving ourselves. Forgiveness isn’t easy. We want to punish ourselves for our past, but we can’t move forward if we hold onto what hurts. Depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders are not what defines who we are; they are signs we need help.
The strength of mind is accepting the need for help. Therapy or group sessions connect you to those who can help. No one is beyond the support therapy, or group sessions bring. Accept the words spoken in those sessions and allow yourself to understand why you experience negative thoughts or feelings. Nourish your mind, body, and soul with love, care, and the belief in your strength.
Learning to love yourself isn’t a one-step process. There is a myriad of ways you can build a strong foundation for self-love. Finding what nourishes your mind, body, and soul takes time, forgiveness, and acceptance. We all need a connection to something that brings us happiness, strength, and belief. How we find our foundation is up to our preferences. We can find nourishment in little things like watching the wind blow through the leaves, going a mile farther. Seeking treatment for alcohol, substance abuse, or a mental health disorder isn’t a sign of weakness; it is a sign of strength. Strength is when we listen to our minds, bodies, and souls and seek the help we deserve to heal. Achieve Concierge is here to help you. We offer individual, group, and in-home therapy. We respond to new referrals within two days if you need more immediate help. For more information, call us at (619) 393-5871.