Being bombarded with wellness buzzwords means nothing till you are ready to take action.

You know the words: self-love, self-care, walk outdoors, yoga, meditate. All of these practices are proven ways that benefit not only our wellness but those of the lives we touch as well.

If you roll your eyes at the habit talk and positivity quotes, maybe you’re not there. You might be in the space where eye rolling is comfortable. You might be ambivalent about changing something. You may feel like something different is big, heavy, complicated, impossible, or hard.

This is your space, your life. Honor it. Only you know your truth.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being there. Unless it feels wrong to you.

If it feels wrong or unsettling, then you might be aching for change.

But how?

Like many things, it is a practice. A very intentional one at that.

Mindful self-love is recognising what you need to fill your spirit cup. Recognizing what you need is a question that only you can answer. It’s not something you will find in this article or something any person outside of yourself can provide. And once you find the thing that fills your cup, it doesn’t mean you’ve achieved self- love. Self-love is continuous. There is more than one thing that will fill you up, and these things may change over time.

Ideas on ways to give yourself some self-love are easily accessible with a quick search and stable internet. If this is something you seek, your role is to be open to it. When you find something that sounds interesting, give it a try.

If you’ve read this far, it means you have the desire. Do you also have the ability? Do you want to make a change? You might even have reasons as to what self-love could do for you. What would life look like with self-love practices built in? Alternatively, what would life look like five years down the line without any change?

For some, this is a scary thought.

The world can be loud and needy. We are pulled in many directions, away from ourselves and our needs. But if deep down there’s a whisper telling you self-love will be beneficial, that’s your inner compass asking you to listen.

So, if there’s desire, ability, reasons, and need, you might be ready for commitment.

Mindful self-love is being intentional about loving yourself. How do you take care of yourself? It can start with a simple one-sided conversation—a greeting in front of the mirror when you wake up.

Try it: “Good morning, I love you (insert your name).”

It may be silly at first, but giggle through it and say it again the next morning. You might even try to put your hand over your heart when you do it, or give yourself a hug.

Do it with love. Do it with kindness. If you offer love and kindness to others, why not give some of that to yourself as well?

Do this daily.

Commitment can be deliberate. Try coming up with one realistic thing you will do every day before your head hits the pillow each night. These activities will vary daily. It could be a commitment statement first thing in the morning, such as, “Today, I will finally call the dentist and schedule my next cleaning.” Or “Today, I will go for a 10-minute walk at lunchtime.” Make it realistic. Make it something that you can achieve with intention that day. Make it something that is for you, not anyone else.

Before taking action toward mindful self-love, you’ll want to examine how important this is for you. If building your self-love practice is important, explore why. If self-love is not a priority for you at the moment, then right now might not be the time to build a habit around this. But if self-love ranks high in your life, then you’re ready for more.

Lastly, you’ll want to take a step.

Self-love actions very from person to person. You might need sessions with a licensed professional to sort out some of your thoughts. You might need a conversation with your trusted faith leader to strengthen your beliefs, or a solo trip to recharge, or you might need all three. The point is: build your self-love chest. Try all the healthy things that sound interesting and loving that fill you up. Try all the things that you feel might be helpful. If you like it, keep it in the chest for future use again. If it doesn’t reenergize you, there’s no need to store it for another time.

If self-love practices continue to be important to you, keep trying.

Fill your love chest with as many tools as you can. Write a list of those things you really enjoy to remember what they are. Do those things. These practices can be cost-free.

When you are mindful about self-love and intentional with your practice, a shift will take place with time. Build your practice. Stay the course. Remind yourself why you’re doing it. And if needed, find an accountability partner.

What’s the next step you’ll take to fill your spirit cup?