In a time where so much in the world just doesn’t feel right, it’s important to keep your mental health in check. It can be tempting to stay in bed all day and re-watch your favorite show, sitting in those sweatpants that definitely haven’t seen the washing machine in a few weeks (it’s okay, we’ve all been there).
Your heart and mind come first in times such as these. It’s crucial right now to show yourself a little more self-love, working from the inside out. Practicing daily habits that promote self-growth and self-love can have tremendous long-term effects. If you’re looking for ways to do this yourself, consider these daily habits that can help you love every bit of yourself more.
Start with sleep
If you aren’t getting enough sleep each night, then you’re more than likely going to feel exhausted, grouchy, and anxious throughout the day. This can lead you to feel down on yourself, both physically and mentally. Getting enough sleep is crucial for keeping your body and mind in check. With enough sleep, you’ll notice yourself having a better mindset and attitude, more energy, a better appetite, and so many more other benefits. To take the best care of yourself, aim for about seven to eight hours of restful, peaceful sleep.
Replace your wording
Your daily language can have a major impact on how you view and treat yourself. For example, how often do you say “I’m sorry” to someone when it truly isn’t necessary? Instead of apologizing for something minor like running a few minutes late, taking a bit to reply to an email, or anything along those lines, say “thank you for your patience.” You don’t have to put blame on yourself with every minor slip-up, as this will only encourage a toxic mindset. In the same light, speak confidently. Remove the word “just” from your written messages. Removing this one word gives your statement the power it deserves, and no, it doesn’t make you sound harsh. Speak confidently and boldly to forever change the way you think of yourself.
Start journaling daily
If you struggle with a clutter of thoughts in your mind, then journaling is a great way to get them all out. Taking five to ten minutes each day to get your thoughts on paper can help you release a lot of anxious, self-doubting thoughts and address them individually. Similarly, journaling your good days can help you on those bad days when you need positive thoughts. Journaling gratitude daily has been proven to boost your mood and overall mindset, too, making this a great habit to practice to love yourself more each day.
Eat mindfully
As delicious as some treats can be, they can take a lot of your energy for the day. They can also give you a short-term boost of happiness, but this can lead to a severe crash later in the day. Try to focus on making 80% of your weekly diet full of nutritious, healthy foods that will leave you feeling full, energized, and satisfied. You’ll not only notice a physical difference in your body, but also a long-term mental boost.
Practice affirmations
Practicing daily affirmations is a great way to speak power over yourself. Remind and affirm yourself that you are beautiful, loved, worthy, capable, strong, smart, friendly, funny, and so much more. Do this by writing these down daily and/or reciting them in the mirror.
Remove toxic sources
Is your Instagram feed only making you feel worse about yourself? It’s time to go on an unfollowing spree. Remember, many content creators only put their best moments online for the world to see, and it isn’t always the reality. If it’s someone you know in real life that you need a virtual break from, then you can simply mute their content rather than unfollowing them. Removing toxic sources will help you feel more uplifted and secure in yourself.
These simple, daily habits require no subscriptions, products, podcasts, or anything else other than your own will, heart, and spirit. Practice these daily and forever to love yourself on a deeper level, from the inside out and from head to toe.
