It's not easy to like ourselves. Really it's not. For some of us, it's a lifelong self healing and self discovery journey through our past, well into our past, to heal our present to make sure our future is happy. Yes, it's exhausting to say the least. Many of us still hang on to blame and failure from so many years ago. How on earth can we expect to like ourselves when we did some horrible things in the past?
Though the title says simple ways to learn to like yourself, this may be hard or easy depending on perspective and how badly you want to like yourself. It is hard for us to like anyone if we can't even like ourselves. Here's some simple ways to learn how to like yourself today.
1. Start with the person in the mirror.
When we look at ourselves in the mirror, many of us are quick to point out all our flaws first before we start appreciating our beauty. It's time to reverse that. Find all the good and the beauty first, then see if you can even find flaws after that. Do this daily. Do this often.
2. Date night anyone?
Take yourself out. Where would you like to go? What's your favourite park, restaurant, theatre, whatever? Go out somewhere, just you, and let loose, be yourself, fall in love with yourself again and embrace life and the beauty of you.
3. Laugh at your mess ups.
We all have them and make up. It's ok. It's not the end of the world. Don't beat yourself up too hard. Take the lesson that presented itself to you, see where you went wrong, shake it off and get back up again. You're ok.
4. Congratulate everything you did right.
And I mean everything. for so me of us, just getting out of bed and getting dressed each day is hard to do. Pat yourself on the back f or doing that. That's half the battle right there.
5. Let your hair down for once.
For one whole day, don't worry about your hair or makeup or nails or what colour shoes or tie or anything you are going to wear. Just be yourself, do and wear whatever brings you joy and makes you laugh or giggle. Be free to be your self for just one day.
6. Write yourself a love letter.
Take one night, light some candles, put on some nice soft music and enjoy your company. Make some nice herbal tea or have a beverage. Get all cozy and romantic, with yourself and write yourself a nice love letter. Remind yourself of all the awesome things you are.
7. The past is done.
Time to say good bye to yesterday and hello to the new you. Who you were yesterday isn't the same person you are today. Remember that. You have grown, learned a lot and evolved into a much better person today then you were yesterday. Let yesterday go. It's done now.
8. Love notes.
Leave them everywhere. Stick them on the bathroom mirror, on your nightstand, on the coffee maker and wherever else you will see them clearly. Write different fun and positive affirmations about yourself on each and every one of them and read them out loud.
9. Treat yourself to something nice.
A new journal, a bouquet of flowers, a new pair of shoes, anything, something. Do something nice for you. You deserve nice things and if you don't have anyone special in your life to do them for you, do them for yourself. You are awesome.
10. Remind yourself of all the stuff you do really really well.
All the things that you might be known for in your family or with your coworkers. Maybe you have a great sense of humor or you make people feel good about themselves. Be proud of the awesomeness inside you.
In this competitive busy world, it's so easy to want to compare ourselves to others and be jealous because we think everyone else is doing better than we are. Never mind them. It's not about them, it's about you. Life isn't a competition and you are doing a brilliant job. Congratulate yourself.