When self-love changes your life !

ARTICLE EN FRANÇAIS/ARTICLE IN FRENCH

How many of us have had a very low opinion of ourselves and believed we were not enough to accomplish certain things. How many of us believed we were not thin enough to wear a bikini and enjoy a beautiful day at the beach ? Way too much ! I was even one of these people !

To dare is sometimes a survival act but it can also represent an act of love we bring to ourself. It is an act, a decision we make to experience this love that we lack way too often. And you know what ? You can give it to yourself, it is not forbidden !

What is self-love and how did I find out about it ?

Self-love means to love one self. I love definitions but I am woman who likes to keep it real, so I have experienced it myself.

So, I would hear about self-love in a theoretical way, but in practice, what the heck was this all about ?

Well, I started to experience self-love one day at the beach, I was completely at peace with my whole self: my body, my soul and my spirit. That’s where the journey began.

According to your cultural background, it can be more or less challenging to assume positive or negative aspects of our personalities. For example, I am an extraverted person, very curious and I can DIE for new experiences ! Yet, there is a situation ! I am a lady and in my culture (Madagascar and Mayotte), ladies are not supposed or expected to have such traits.

Problematic right ?! I know. So, what do you do in such situations ?

Well stop hiding ! It will take too much energy out of you to act like someone you are not. At least, I believe it is very suffocating to me. This is why I decided to travel, it was the beginning of liberation and a path of acceptation has started.

Alright DJEMS, you still haven’t told us how it works in real life ?

Based on my experience and you will make yours as well. You juste have to be yourself but in a world that does not praise or teach you that, how do you do ?

Well, you will have to learn to do something very important: listen to yourself without judging. 5 years ago, If I would have judged my own voice which was telling me to stop eating meat and live on my own terms, I would have never been able to listen to this article.

It has been a work of confidence in oneself and find strength not to listen to other people’s voices. The reality is that our surroundings will always talk to us from a space of imagination or what should be. And it is completely normal, since we have never shown who we truly are because we wanted to be loved or liked.

Yet, the love will never be real if it does not come from within, from you. Especially if you are looking to create honest and sincere relationships with others. Be careful though, sincerity and honesty implies that some people will not agree with who you are on a completely irrational basis. Be ready for that too !

Tips on your self-love journey

There is no magic recipe, it is a journey and it lasts during your whole life. However, you will have to listen to your real needs along the way and not what other people expect from you, trust me there can be many demands !

You can start by doing this:

Everyday, learn to appreciate something you did for someone or something you have accomplished. You can also be grateful for the day
Practice as much meditation as you can. Be careful, meditation is not always someone sitting on couch that looks peaceful, it can be anything that brings you in the present moment. It can be a walk in the forest, dancing, drawing or anything. It’s totally up to you !
Practice the art of touch. To love implies to also feel good in your body. It is not a matter of weight but rather a feeling. Feel free to receive a hug from a person you love (animals as well), a massage or self-massage is welcomed or you can give one ! 🙂
Eat food that fits you ! Yes, it matters. I am not saying that everybody has to become vegetarian, but stay in tune with what your body needs. Sometimes I feel like eating a very fresh salad and it is usually because I haven’t had fresh food in a long time ! What a surprise ! 🙂 What I mean is that do not pressure yourself, be more connected to your body needs, even chocolate 🙂
Surround yourself with people who truly love you for who you are and will see the benefit of having you around them !
This one is the most important, take time to appreciate yourself. Look at yourself and cherish your hair, your eyes, you stretch marks and any other body parts you do not always show. Express a profound appreciation for your body. You only have one and it is perfect to help you accomplish the best things for you !

The last word

I really hope this article will help you love yourself more each day, I know it can be challenging at times to hear the negative voice inside your head, please remember that they do not belong to you and they are not yours. They usually are the result of other people’s belief about you or from past experiences. Today and tomorrow are opportunities to change and to start celebrating yourself NOW !