3 Incredibly Easy Acts of Self-Love You Might Be Ignoring for too Long

I don’t know why, but self-love still seems to be a taboo-topic.

And it annoys me.

I hate the fact that being confident counts as a strong quality, but self-love is treated as if it was egoistic and weird.

It’s just not true.

People who love themselves are not selfish.

On the contrary: They have much more to share with the world than those who keep drowning in self-doubt.

As Reese Witherspoon beautifully stated:

“You always gain by giving love.”

Love is one of the strongest, deepest emotions we can ever experience. And it’s also the most beautiful one. Yet, unfortunately, instead of giving and receiving extraordinary love, we often restrain ourselves from doing so.

We are afraid of being too vulnerable by showing love so that we instead retain ourselves from loving and being loved.

The truth, however, is that a life without love is not worth much.

That might sound harsh, but it’s the deep reality.

We all experience our most valuable moments when we love.

Yet, we still refuse to accept the importance of self-love, which is a pity.

“To fall in love with yourself is the first step to happiness.”

— Stephan Chbosky

It took me quite some while to understand this truth, but I finally found out that others can only love you when you do so.

If you don’t love yourself, why should someone else?

“How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.”

— Rupi Kaur

I realized how loving myself is the real foundation of any healthy relationship and a happy life. Whenever I doubted myself, I also found myself questioning the love of my partner.

Yet, what fascinates me most is the fact that self-love can be so incredibly easy.

Many people try to convince me how they don’t have time for self-care or self-love because they are so busy working, looking after their kids, or whatsoever.

Yet, the truth is that we all have the same 24 hours.

If you don’t make time for your self-care, the only reason is that you have other priorities, insufficient time is just an excuse.

I don’t know about you, but I am the #1 priority in my life.

My wellbeing is of greatest importance.

I know this sounds as if I had tons of hours to spend on self-care and wellness, but it’s not the truth. I don’t. And I don’t have to.

Self-care doesn’t mean getting manicures and massages. And it also doesn’t mean treating yourself with chocolate or designer handbags.

Gosh, no!

Sometimes, self-love means unfollowing someone on social media. Sometimes, it means taking a deep breath. Sometimes, it means going for the salad instead of ordering a fatty burger. And some other times, it means eating the damn chocolate cake because it’s fucking delicious.

There is no right or wrong.

Nobody can tell what’s good for you.

You are the only person being aware of your wants, needs, and cravings. And it’s your job to fulfill those needs.

Even though self-love looks different for everybody, here are three incredibly easy acts, we all should practice more often:

1. Take a break and get some fresh air

Don’t try to tell me you don’t have time to take breaks during your day. I won’t believe you.

If you are here reading this article right now, you certainly have time to take a few minutes to refresh. We all do have a few minutes.

The global average phone usage is more than two hours. Don’t tell me you don’t have five minutes to spend on yourself.

Most of the time, when we are stressing out, a simple break can be the answer.

“We have never been taught how to relax, how to take care of ourselves in a positive, nurturing way (not just going on a vacation or out for an expensive dinner). Twenty minutes of deep relaxation a day will aid your mental growth, improve your physical health and emotional stability, and possibly even increase your spiritual awareness.”

— L. John Mason

In my experience, even two minutes of relaxation can make a tremendous difference.

Being stressed out for the majority of the time will tremendously decrease the quality of your life. And I am sure that’s something you want to avoid.

Therefore, schedule your breaks.

Be aware that little breaks to calm down and relax are your most important appointments, and don’t leave it to chance.

2. Quit all notifications on your phone or go offline

This one might take some more time to arrange, especially if you have special duties, but it’s incredibly powerful.

I honestly appreciate all the technological benefits we have nowadays.

I love innovation, I love the internet, and I love having access to an incredible amount of information. I also love my smartphone and social media, yet, sometimes I realize how it drains my energy.

I try to be mindful of my social media and phone usage every day, yet, occasionally, taking a break and going on a digital detox is the best decision.

On most of our days, we get bombarded with so much information that it becomes hard to take care of our own thoughts. Going offline, even if it’s just for one hour, can help to regain your focus and calm your mind during tough times

“Almost anything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. Including you.”

— Anne Lamott

3. Make time for your favorite hobby

Depending on your hobbies, this one might be the hardest to arrange, but it will be worth it, promised.

Too often, we get so crazy about our daily lives we forget to do things we actually love.

In my case, dancing is one of those activities.

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved moving my body to music. When I did my yearly reflection in December 2019, I realized I hardly danced throughout the whole last year.

I didn’t join any courses, but I also didn’t go out to dance with my boy.

That’s a pity because I collected some of my most beautiful memories with my boyfriend when we were dancing.

As a result, I set the goal to dance more in 2020.

This might sound weird and time-consuming, yet, it’s actually pretty easy. I don’t need to join a dancing-class. Neither do I need to go to clubs or bars.

I can turn the music on and start shaking my body at home.

Even if I dance for five minutes, my mood increases. I am sure you can also find some activities that are at least as energizing for you.

Being passionate about your career is cool. In fact, it’s fantastic. Yet, sometimes a little break from work is a great self-care act, even if you love your job or business. Distancing yourself and doing activities that you love enables you to get back to work with a clear, fresh mind.

Additionally, you will be more balanced if you spend time doing things you genuinely enjoy.

Bottom Line

Self-love and caring for yourself don’t need to be difficult, time-consuming, or costly. In fact, it can be effortless, yet, incredibly powerful.

The golden rule is to do whatever feels best for you and suits your personal needs.

1. Take a break and get some fresh air: Even a few minutes can help you to regain your focus, be more mindful and productive, and feel happier.

2. Quit all notifications on your phone or go offline: Technology is great, it’s fantastic. Yet, sometimes, taking a few hours off is the best decision we can make and a great act of self-love.
3. Make time for your favorite hobby: We all have busy schedules, and too often we put our pleasures at the end of the line, yet, that’s the biggest mistake we can make. As Oprah states: “Take your pleasures seriously.” Make time for what lights up your heart and your soul.