I am a self-proclaimed expert in the art of self-love and self-care.

I have gone from abusing myself in many, many ways to falling madly in love with myself on so many levels.

Self-love is such a personal thing that it is almost impossible for me to tell someone exactly how to love themselves; however, I feel I am educated enough on the topic to be able to make suggestions on where to begin when someone is first starting their journey into self-love and self-care.

Let the magic unfold!

Routines are important because consistency is the key to any successful change. It is said that it takes between 21 and 26 days for a routine to become a habit. In the beginning, you will have to remind yourself why it is important to stay on task; however, over time, it will just be a natural part of your life, and this routine will simply become a daily habit that you will look forward to.

For instance, I used to fear mornings…I would wake up so anxious with too many scattered thoughts circling around in my head. I would instantly feel alone and anxious. There were times I would panic and jump out of bed and instantly get involved in something to try to relieve the anxiety. It was a horrible feeling.

So, when I started on my journey to healing, the first thing I created was a beautiful and peaceful morning routine that, thankfully, eased my anxiety, soothed my soul, and prepared me for the day ahead.

This routine is so amazing that I actually look forward to my mornings, as they are the best part of my day. Some days, I tweak the routine a bit based on what my day ahead looks like, but for the most part, I pretty much stick to the same thing every day and I love it!

The good thing about having gone through tough times and actually “doing the work” is that I speak from experience. So, when I provide suggestions and ideas that may help you, I am actually teaching you about things that I have put into place. This is why I love coaching so much; I am able to share the knowledge from all my own lessons.

This was my goal when I started to get healthy—to help as many people as I possibly can.

So now, the fun part!

Below is a list of ways that you can honor yourself each and every day:

1. Respect your body. There are so many levels to this topic that I would love to address, however, I will focus on this one area–your body is yours and it is not to be given to anyone who doesn’t honor you. Respect yourself and others will follow suit. This is truth.

2. Honor where you are at. Wherever you are in life, know that you are exactly where you are meant to be at that moment. Also know that nothing stays the same for all time; we have free will and the ability to create change, and suffering doesn’t last. Do not fear what you are going through; embrace it and learn the lesson(s) that you are meant to learn.

3. Feel your feelings. Whatever they are…feel them. Anxious, sad, mad, happy, elated, excited, devastated, nervous. Sit with them and feel them. Let them guide you. If you are unhappy or anxious do not stuff them or hide them; they will resurface with a vengeance. Feel them, and then let them go. Trust me.

4. Treat yourself. What brings you joy? A day out with friends, coffee at the cafe, massages, dinner with friends, a weekend retreat, date nights with your spouse, yoga a few times a week, facials, hot baths? What is your thing? Whatever it is—do it. Life is short; make time for enjoyment.

5. Forgive yourself. We are human and therefore we make mistakes—sometimes lots of them! Forgive yourself for those you have hurt, for the bad choices you made, for the hurt you caused yourself, or for not protecting yourself. Acknowledge these things and forgive yourself. Give yourself a hug, and then let them go.

6. Forgive others. Forgive those who have hurt you, disappointed you, betrayed you, lied to you, and changed you. There is no reason to hold on to your past hurts and anger—let it go.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” ~ Buddha (maybe)

7. Find your compassion. Understand that we are just people who do the best we can every single day. People hurt people; it happens. Sometimes, understanding the “why” can change your perspective on the situation and even help you to forgive.

8. Tell yourself how amazing you are. And believe it—because you are smart, kind, loving, sweet, beautiful, hardworking, and so many other things. Tell yourself. Don’t wait for someone else to validate you—validate yourself.

9. Celebrate your wins. There is always a win, even if all you did was get out of bed, get your kids off to school, or make it to work on time—those are wins!

10. Support yourself through losses. You will have down days, things that didn’t go as planned; someone will hurt you or you will hurt someone. Support yourself through those moments.

11. Relax and rest your soul. Take some time for you and only you. Give yourself a much-needed time out. Read a book, take a bath, walk in the park, get a pedicure, go to the gym, roll out your mat and do some yoga. Whatever it is that fills your soul—do it.

12. Find quiet time. Create a “quiet zone” at home. Decorate that space and deem it yours. Use that space for your quiet time—no screens (TV, iPhone, iPad, and so on). Close your eyes, meditate, listen to music, read.

13. Exercise. This topic is in every single blog I write and I will beat it to death. Our bodies need movement. Find what you enjoy and can commit to and move your body. Walking, hiking, yoga, Pilates, Barre, HIIT, boot camp, and the list goes on. Get on that treadmill, go to the park, do yoga at home or a studio, download a boot camp app. Just commit to at least three times a week of movement.

14. Do the things you love. Are you creative? Start by doing some DIY projects. Enjoy time with people? Join or start a MeetUp group. Want to learn something new? Take a class. The sky is the limit.

15. Put yourself first. It is not selfish!

16. Set goals. Goal-setting is empowering and keeps us on task. It also helps us to manifest the things we desire.

17. Seek solace in nature. Nature is grounding and provides us with a direct connection to Earth. Spending time in nature, on the beach, in the woods, or planting in your garden can help ease anxiety and ground you back to a healthy place.

18. Feed your body nourishing foods. You are what you eat—enough said.

I hope you can identify with a number of these suggestions.

Please share with me in the comments how you honor yourself on a daily basis.

Remember, there is only one you, and life is too short to be anything less than happy!

~