What is better than starting a new year by taking care of ourselves? That’s good because January is self-love month. There are many ways to practice self-love and here are five ways to do it.
- Practice mindfulness meditation
The goal of mindfulness is to achieve a state of alert, focused relaxation. That’s accomplished by paying attention to emotions, thoughts, and sensations to enable the mind to refocus on the present moment. All mindfulness techniques are a form of meditation. Sitting quietly and focusing on your natural breathing is an example of basic mindfulness meditation.
- Listen to music
Music is a powerful tool that can help people build confidence in a lot of ways. The benefits of music can be felt by people of all ages and backgrounds. According to a study, people who listen to music enjoy more experiences and increase in confidence and self-esteem. This is because music has an impact on us. It can activate a feel-good dopamine in our brain, which makes us more positive.
It may sound strange but it’s way more effective than it seems. Why not do something nice on your own? Sharing moments with yourself is constructive because you can remind yourself of your goals and take time to think about yourself.
- Speak to yourself
Act like you speak to a friend. Imagine them making a mistake and think of an encouraging way to respond. You can also stare at the mirror and practice self-talk which, according to clinical psychologist, Dr. Assar, helps us to “move towards acceptance and eventually loving yourself.”
- Talk about your feelings
Sharing your thoughts with someone else is a major form of self-love because you are showing yourself that you want to work out whatever is going on with you. Turn to family and friends or even share with a therapist. Find someone you trust who is able to listen.
Oona Ngabonziza, Reporter
(Featured Image from Canva)