

{"id":75383,"date":"2022-02-24T12:52:57","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T12:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=75383"},"modified":"2023-09-18T17:04:16","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T17:04:16","slug":"what-is-self-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/love\/what-is-self-love\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Self-Love and Why Is It So Important?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-75386\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/New-Project-2022-02-24T181543.132.jpg\" alt=\"Women reading book\" width=\"805\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may have seen or heard about self-love from billboards, podcasts, quotes, your favorite artists, and many more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many have talked about it, yet there are still people who do not fully understand the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/learning-to-love-yourself\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">importance of loving yourself<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every one of us needs to know the importance of treating ourselves with compassion, forgiving ourselves, and of course, loving ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is self-love and self-compassion, and how do they change our lives?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we will talk about what is self-love and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/practice-self-compassion\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> self-compassion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and how we can start applying them in our lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-do-you-define-self-love-and-self-compassion\"><\/span><strong>How do you define self-love and self-compassion?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-75385\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/New-Project-2022-02-24T181634.704.jpg\" alt=\"Women with face mask\" width=\"805\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you can love other people or offer your love to another person, you must first love yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is something that most of us are forgetting. In the end, we are left with pain and disappointment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The terms self-love and self-compassion are different yet connected.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let us define the meaning of self-love first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-love is knowing that you are a person worthy of love, compassion, and respect. Self-love in psychology means you know that you deserve happiness and well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, self-compassion is defined as understanding and being kind to yourself. If you can empathize with other people, you should do this to yourself, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On a side note, let us not confuse self-love with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyu.edu\/about\/news-publications\/news\/2021\/march\/narcissism-driven-by-insecurity--not-grandiose-sense-of-self--ne.html#:~:text=Photo%20credit%3A%20Cn0ra-,Narcissism%20is%20driven%20by%20insecurity%2C%20and%20not%20an%20inflated%20sense,a%20team%20of%20psychology%20researchers.&amp;text=The%20researchers%20examined%20Narcissistic%20Personality,as%20grandiose%20and%20vulnerable%20narcissism.\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">narcissism<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> because they are two very different terms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/steps-to-practice-self-love\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-love is loving everything about yourself<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You don&rsquo;t have to belittle or manipulate other people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Narcissism is the opposite. You don&rsquo;t genuinely love yourself. You just want to feed your ego that you belittle other people to be better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Narcissists love chaos. They thrive when there&rsquo;s chaos around them. Lisa A. Romano, a well-known life coach, tackles the five ways a narcissist creates chaos in your life.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f58UxJyIV3A\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-psychology-behind-self-compassion-and-self-love\"><\/span><strong>The psychology behind self-compassion and self-love<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-75384\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/New-Project-2022-02-24T181604.513.jpg\" alt=\"Women looking at self in mirror\" width=\"805\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-is-self-love-and-why-is-it-important\"><\/span><strong>What is self-love, and why is it important?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Achieving self-love and self-compassion is an incredible feeling. It is not selfish at all. You owe it to yourself to make sure that you know what you deserve.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&rsquo;s go back to these popular quotes:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t take care of anyone else until you&rsquo;ve taken care of yourself.&rdquo;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can you offer compassion to other people if you can&rsquo;t do this to yourself? How can you help others suffering if you are being too hard on yourself?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t love anyone else until you love yourself.&rdquo;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it possible to fall in love with another person yet if you don&rsquo;t even love yourself fully? How can you promise all your love to someone when you don&rsquo;t even know the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/love\/surprising-secret-to-self-love\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">importance of self-love<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6-examples-of-healthy-self-compassion-and-self-love\"><\/span><strong>6 examples of healthy self-compassion and self-love<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By now, you have an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/self-love-ideas-for-valentines-day\/\">idea of what self-love<\/a> and self-compassion are, but here are self-love examples that will make everything clearer.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Scenario 1:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person feels bad because everyone in her family got invited to the reunion, and she wasn&rsquo;t. As it turned out, all of them have cars and can travel long distances, and she doesn&rsquo;t. She&rsquo;s working two jobs and is trying her best. She was hurt and felt belittled.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She can show herself some self-compassion by saying, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve done my best, and I&rsquo;m still trying to make ends meet. Some people may not see that. It&rsquo;s okay to feel bad, but I won&rsquo;t dwell on this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/negative-thoughts-in-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">negative emotion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Scenario 2:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A model employee who was always eager to do her best at work didn&rsquo;t get the promotion she wanted. She felt sad, but she decided to show herself some self-compassion by saying, &ldquo;This promotion doesn&rsquo;t define me or my performance.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even without that title, I can still persevere and enjoy my work. There are still plenty of chances. I&rsquo;m not losing hope.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Scenario 3:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lady forgot about her best friend&rsquo;s birthday. She felt terrible about missing that important date. However, she didn&rsquo;t allow this issue to grow and decided to show herself some self-love. She reminded herself, &ldquo;Everyone forgets, right? My friend already forgave me, so why can&rsquo;t I do this to myself?&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Scenario 4:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was a high school student who always aced her test. However, one day, she failed one exam. She simply reminded herself about self-love by saying, &ldquo;Nobody is perfect. We all fail, and it&rsquo;s not the end of the world. I can be better next time.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Scenario 5:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A mother-in-law said something that offended her new daughter-in-law and made her cry.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She felt terrible, but she also gave allowed herself to feel self-compassion by reminding herself, &ldquo;We all make mistakes, and sometimes, we say things that we don&rsquo;t mean. Those words do not define me as a person. I can apologize and be better.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Scenario 6:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A busy dad ignored his son, even if the little boy was already asking permission to cut something. It turned out that the toddler played with some bills and cut them.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The father yelled and got angry, only to realize his own mistakes. He used self-compassion to remind himself, &ldquo;I am not a bad dad. Like many other fathers, I can also lose my temper. I will apologize and explain why I got angry, and then, next time, I&rsquo;ll try to be more patient.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you see how different self-love and self-compassion are with narcissism?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-3-main-components-of-self-compassion\"><\/span><strong>The 3 main components of self-compassion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Value yourself and start with the three components of self-compassion.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol><li><b><\/b> <b>Mindfulness <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash; is being aware of ourselves and being fully present in a given situation. This allows us not to overreact to triggers or any given situation. It helps us be conscious when we are experiencing complex emotions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><\/b> <b>Self-kindness <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash; is, as it says, treating yourself with kindness. Often, when we make mistakes, we blame ourselves too much. Treating yourself with kindness allows you to understand that you, too, can make mistakes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><\/b> <b>Common humanity <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash; is a term used to recognize and acknowledge that we can feel unpleasant emotions and that it&rsquo;s a part of life.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once we get a deeper understanding of these three components, it will enable us to be more compassionate, not just to ourselves but also to other people.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-important-is-self-love-when-it-comes-to-our-well-being\"><\/span><strong>How important is self-love when it comes to our well-being?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we practice self-love, how can this contribute to our overall well-being?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer here is simple. If you practice self-love and self-compassion, you feel good and happy. Without knowing it, we become too hard on ourselves, causing added <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2568977\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stress<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and sadness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you learn to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/practice-self-compassion\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">practice self-compassion <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and start self-loving yourself, your life becomes better, and you become happier.<\/span><b>&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-do-you-start-practicing-self-love\"><\/span><strong>How do you start practicing self-love?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some might think, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s easy to say that you should love or be compassionate about yourself, but it cannot be done easily.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&rsquo;s understandable to have doubts. Not everyone can learn what is self-love in an instant. We also can&rsquo;t shift and instantly know how to practice self-love, right?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can start by acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accepting is also facing that you need to work on your self-love. If you know which areas you need to work on, that would be great. You can start by listing them and keeping a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/save-your-marriage\/how-writing-a-self-esteem-journal-can-save-your-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">journal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you think you need more help, you can also work with a professional. These trained professionals can help you assess the level of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/self-compassion-can-improve-your-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">love and compassion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you are giving yourself.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They can also help you work on the things you could do to love yourself more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5-great-steps-on-how-to-love-yourself-more\"><\/span><strong>5 great steps on how to love yourself more&nbsp;<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try these steps and start loving yourself more. Constantly remind yourself that you deserve the love that you are giving. <\/span><\/p>\n<ol><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t compare yourself to others. You are beautifully unique, and you should love yourself for that.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t think twice and let go of toxic people. Put yourself first and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/mental-health\/mental-health-in-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">take care of your mental health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Protect yourself from toxic people.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put yourself first. Please don&rsquo;t feel bad if you will buy yourself something first. Don&rsquo;t feel bad if you want to put your happiness first. You deserve to be happy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t live your life by the standards of other people. Let go. You do not have to make a life for yourself according to other people&rsquo;s opinions. They don&rsquo;t own you.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t be too hard on yourself if you make mistakes. Remember, nobody is perfect. We all make bad decisions and mistakes. Forgive yourself and use that experience to be better.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-are-the-self-compassion-letter-and-mantra-techniques\"><\/span><strong>What are the self-compassion letter and mantra techniques?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The self-compassion letter and mantra are techniques to try to practice self-compassion.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The self-compassionate letter<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you like keeping a journal, or have you ever tried keeping a diary? If you had, then that&rsquo;s a good start.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This self-compassion letter is a great and proven way to remind yourself that self-compassion should always be practiced.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try these steps and start your letter.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about something that makes you feel sad, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/8-signs-you-are-insecure-in-your-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">insecure<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and even ashamed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write it. You can put details about it too.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, on another page, write a letter to yourself. Think of it as advising someone you love.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol><h3><b>The self-compassion mantra<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, there&rsquo;s another technique to use. Mantras are defined as sentences or phrases that you can use to remind yourself of your goals and inspirations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Yes, I&rsquo;ve made a mistake.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But this mistake will not define me.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I need to be kind to myself.&rdquo;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like this mantra, you can create your own to remind yourself whenever you feel down, or you just want to refocus.<\/span><b>&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5-proven-exercises-that-can-help-you-develop-self-compassion\"><\/span><strong>5 proven exercises that can help you develop self-compassion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We&rsquo;ve gathered five proven ways how you can practice self-compassion.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Treat yourself like a friend<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a friend needs someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, and someone who will give them advice, we are there for them.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With this thought, you also need to be a friend to yourself.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can give your friend the love, understanding, and compassion that they need, then you can do it to yourself as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b>Also Try:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/quizzes\/how-important-is-selfcare-quiz\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Important Is Self-Care Quiz<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>2. Develop self-compassion by writing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you love writing, then this would be your favorite. This is the self-compassion letter that we have already talked about.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By practicing this, you create a safe space for yourself and your thoughts.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can list down the things that bother you, and then, like a good friend, you can write what you want to make yourself feel better.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Modify how you use critical self-talk&nbsp;<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This aims to change how we talk to ourselves. This exercise will take a while and a lot of practice but can make a huge difference.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start by noticing how you are talking to yourself. What tone do you use? What words do you use when you process your thoughts about yourself about a major mistake?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this step, you might notice what words you are using to yourself. Next, you need to start pointing out the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/negative-thoughts-in-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">negative self-talk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and confront it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have done this, you can rethink and rephrase the words that you tell yourself.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&rsquo;s an example:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You got angry with your mom and said hurtful words.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;I am worthless! See, everyone was right! I am not the son that mom wanted. I am useless, and I can&rsquo;t even make her happy. I am ashamed of myself!&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listen to those unkind words, take them, and rephrase them. Be compassionate to yourself.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;I made a mistake. I did. I am accepting that it was my fault. I didn&rsquo;t mean that, and I want to say sorry. I know I am better than this mistake, and I shouldn&rsquo;t dwell, but instead, I should make up for it.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. Meditate<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you know how to meditate, you can practice mindfulness and calmness. Along with the other benefits of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sps.columbia.edu\/news\/how-meditation-can-help-you-focus\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">meditation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you would be more compassionate and loving to yourself.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b>Related Reading:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/the-pillars-of-self-care\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 5 Pillars of Self-Care<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>5. Learn the self-compassion break<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This exercise will improve how you understand yourself. In fact, it will only take a few minutes to do it, and the outcome would be undeniable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you are faced with a tough situation, say, you lost a job. You can take a moment, close your eyes, and tell to yourself:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;This is just a moment of suffering.&rdquo;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have addressed this fact, you are already being mindful.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With mindfulness comes the ability to accept the situation and focus on the solution.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of dwelling with the mixed and strong emotions, you can now focus on working for the solution. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-30-day-self-love-challenge\"><\/span><strong>The 30-day self-love challenge&nbsp;<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can find so many challenges on the Internet, and maybe, you&rsquo;ve heard about this one too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 30-day self-love challenge aims to change a person&rsquo;s habit of ignoring oneself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Believe it or not, focusing on yourself can do wonders, especially during this pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&rsquo;s a list of 30-easy-to-do self-love exercises. You can customize them according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/love\/is-love-the-most-important-thing-for-a-happy-marriage\/\">things that will make you feel important<\/a>, loved, and happy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Show self-love by:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meditating for 5 minutes<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating a full healthy meal for breakfast<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reading your favorite book<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drinking a warm tea<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jogging<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journaling<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep 8 hours<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clean and organize your home<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take a long bath<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Light a scented candle<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watch a movie<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sing<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solve a puzzle<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paint<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bake or cook<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buy yourself a rose<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write 10 goals to reach this month<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to a spa and treat yourself<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write down 10 things you are grateful for<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Catch up with your best friend<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start gardening<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take dance classes<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/vision-board-for-couples\/\">vision board<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write down 10 affirmations<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Volunteer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drink more water<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listen to a podcast<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a photobook<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paint your nails<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ndash;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try out a new restaurant<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-are-self-compassion-and-meditation-related\"><\/span><strong>How are self-compassion and meditation related?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-compassion and meditation both work together so you can have more compassion in yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With meditation, you enhance your ability to be mindful and aware of yourself. You start to develop that love and the happy feeling that you deserve, and when you do, you begin to be compassionate to yourself as well.<\/span><b>&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bonus-5-quotes-and-affirmations-about-self-compassion\"><\/span><strong>Bonus: 5 quotes and affirmations about self-compassion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We&rsquo;re pretty sure you are excited to try out these exercises &ndash; to change how you treat yourself and to be more self-loving and self-compassionate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are 5 beautiful quotes to jumpstart your journey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.&rdquo; &mdash; Christopher Germer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;This is a moment of suffering. Suffering is part of life. May I be kind to me in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need.&rdquo; &mdash; Kristin Neff<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Self-care is not selfish or self-indulgent. We cannot nurture others from a dry well. We need to take care of our own needs first, so that we can give from our surplus, our abundance. When we nurture others from a place of fullness, we feel renewed instead of taken advantage of.&rdquo;&mdash; Jennifer Louden<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.&rdquo; &mdash; Robert Morely<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Love yourself unconditionally, just as you love those closest to you despite their faults.&rdquo; &mdash; Les Brown<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have all experienced moments where we are not so happy about ourselves. There are moments when we feel down, ashamed, and insecure about ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we do something wrong, we tend to be too hard on ourselves, to the point where we even engage in self-hate and negative self-talk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&rsquo;s hard when you are battling your inner thoughts. It&rsquo;s even harder when you&rsquo;re filled with negative thoughts about your own self.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&rsquo;s like a war inside.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This time, let us create a journey for ourselves &ndash; a journey of discovering self-love and self-compassion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let us begin to show ourselves that, we too, deserve the love and compassion we are giving to others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you learn what is self-love and how it can change your life, you will see how much you can do for yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember, you are worthy of love, respect, and care. Start with yourself and make yourself whole.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You may have seen or heard about self-love from billboards, podcasts, quotes, your favorite artists, and many more. Many have talked about it, yet there are still people who do not fully understand the importance of loving yourself. Every one of us needs to know the importance of treating ourselves with compassion, forgiving ourselves, and of course, loving ourselves. What is self-love and self-compassion, and how do they change our lives? In this article, we will talk about what is self-love and self-compassion and how we can start applying them in our lives. How do you define self-love and self-compassion? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1419,"featured_media":75386,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2500],"tags":[2594],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75383"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75383"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89254,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75383\/revisions\/89254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}