What is the way to be a happier and more complete person? Many of you may have heard that the answer to this question is self-love, but how can we really put it into practice? How to develop it? It may seem like a simple task for many, but the truth is that we all have difficulty accepting that, in addition to looking at others, we must learn to look at ourselves, to take care of ourselves and to respect ourselves. This, which is a process that should be introduced into our lives from an early age, requires overcoming many patterns and fixed ideas that we maintain throughout life.
Want to know how you can start giving yourself more love? We, from Eu Sem Fronteiras, will propose a 28-day challenge. During this time, you will be able to find your way to self-love through simple activities.
How to have self love
One of the first steps to self-love is forgiving yourself. When we understand that, like others, we are also made of mistakes, not just successes, we start to look more humanely at the human being we have become and at every choice we make. Through them, after all, we can slip, hurt someone and go in the opposite direction of what we believe is right, but it is these experiences that will make us understand how we can do differently next time and how we can improve as human beings.
Taking this cue, there is no such thing as a perfect human being. The very formation of this term already denounces us: “human being”. From the moment we are part of this species, we are subject to change. So start this process by taking time for yourself, reflecting on who you are and who you want to become. What do you need to heal inside of you to take the next step? What do you have to leave behind to feel freer to love yourself? Feelings? emotions? Be willing to resignify whatever is necessary, without fear of facing your fears and your wounds. Only in this way is it possible to make room for an unconditional love for your own being to be born in your heart.
Love Yourself According to the Bible
Self-love is described in the Bible in a different way than we are used to. To better understand this love, it is necessary to understand that biblical love is referred to as unconditional and altruistic. And what does that mean?
This love, according to the scriptures, cannot exist apart from God. That is, true love can only be lived by those who have experienced God's love first. Furthermore, when we read the statement “love your neighbor as yourself”, the commandment itself is not a request to develop our self-love as we know it, as if it were lacking. It is a request for us to empathize with others and to treat others the same way we treat ourselves.
According to everything that is described there, it is already understood that the human being loves himself and that the point to be changed is the condition of transmitting this to those who are part of our journey. After all, only those who are not regenerated by Jesus end up loving themselves too much and failing to do this for those who need it. This is, according to the Bible, the biggest problem!
A fundamental point is also that the Bible teaches us that we are created in the image of God and that this fact alone gives great value to who we are. Because we are His unique creation and because we are loved despite our sins, in His love we can also love others. The following passage exemplifies this well:
“Do nothing out of partisanship or vainglory, but out of humility, considering each one better than himself. Let not each one look to what is his own, but each one also to what belongs to others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
It's time to give yourself a little (or a lot) love!
We at Eu Sem Fronteiras propose a 28-day challenge with small activities that will help you find the path of self-love. Is ready?
Day 1: Hug yourself!
Put your arms around you. Smell your scent. Make yourself affectionate. Don't depend on others to feel hugged and comforted.
Day 2: Start a journal
Writing about your feelings and about this experience can help you understand what your biggest obstacles are.
Day 3: Have a morning routine
Starting your day with an aligned routine is a way to stress less, be more organized and, therefore, bring more peace to your days.
Day 4: Just Breathe!
The conscious act of breathing is an experience that fills you with the certainty of life!
Day 5: Laugh!
Whether chatting with a funny friend or watching that comedy at the movies, harness the power of a good laugh.
Day 6: Assess your eating habits
Why do you eat what you're eating? Understanding your eating habits is essential to building a healthier life.
Day 7: walk
Why don't you walk to the market on this day? Or just walk around your neighborhood? Walking is a great time to reflect.
Day 8: do nothing
When was the last time you allowed yourself to go all day doing nothing? Often all we need is a quiet day to stay in our pajamas, eat popcorn and watch a movie. Be allowed!
day 9: meditate
It may seem difficult at first, but when meditation becomes a habit, it helps you get to know yourself better and promotes a sense of peace and calm.
Day 10: Drink more water
How about writing down how many glasses of water you drank that day? If they are few, make yourself aware, day after day, that your body needs more water, until it becomes a habit.
Day 11: Say something you like about yourself every hour of the day
Don't expect others to point out your qualities. Accept that you are amazing!
Day 12: Understand your body
Why do you always have that headache at the end of the day? It could just be tiredness, but it could also be something related to your diet, for example. Observing your body's signals will help you understand different aspects of your life.
Day 13: Do something that scares you
What scares you the most in this world? Make a list of the things you would never do in this world because fear is holding you back and cross them off one by one.
Day 14: Eat alone
Enjoy your own company to go to the movies, have dinner alone, go shopping… You're all you need!
Day 15: Do something you love
Do you love to read? Today will be a day dedicated to this activity. Now, if you love going to fine dining, pick one in particular and go! Give yourself a gift experience.
Day 16: Work on your posture
It may seem silly, but good posture can change the way you see yourself.
Day 17: Self-massage
Learn to relax your tension points and turn this into a pleasurable experience.
Day 18: Do what you've been avoiding doing
You know that trip to the bank that you put off so much? This is the day to solve it!
Day 19: Make a list of your achievements
Recognize everything you've accomplished that meant something to you! Don't take the opinions of others into account. Was it a victory for you to learn to drive? Then go to the list!
Day 20: Learn something new
It's time to learn to play guitar or speak a new language. Invest in yourself.
Day 21: Stretch
The habit of stretching will change your life! Take a few minutes out of your day to breathe and stretch and understand that your body asks for this type of movement.
Day 22: sunbathe
Take advantage of your lunch hour to sit in the sun. Receive your light and enlighten your whole being.
Day 23: Give yourself time
Understand that changes don't happen overnight. In fact, nothing in this life is resolved quickly. Everything takes time, work and dedication. Don't cover so much!
Day 24: Make a list of what you do well
What do you do best in this life? Look at your routine to understand the things you are skilled at doing and build a list.
Day 25: Say to yourself: I love you!
Have you ever said that you loved yourself? But I bet you already said you hated yourself, didn't you? Why so much self-hatred? Begin to emanate more love into your being.
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Day 26: buy flowers
Okay, they don't need to be bought, but get some flowers in a garden and notice their beauty and fragility.
Day 27: Choose to Think Positive Thoughts
Negative thoughts are part of our irrational mind. These are ideas that arise from our fears and expectations. From this day forward, focus on having more positive thoughts and looking on the bright side of things.
Day 28: Write yourself a love letter
You must have already written a letter to someone, be it a love letter or a regular one. But a letter to yourself is something unusual, isn't it? Tell yourself how much you admire yourself, how much you love yourself and how much you want a better life for yourself… Expose your deepest feelings.
Once you've lived this 28-day experience, let us know in the comments! We want to share your self-love!
Text written by Gabrielle Carreira from the Eu Sem Fronteiras team.
