Be kinder to yourself this Valentines
Being kind to one another is taught from a young age but being kind to ourselves is not encouraged enough. Showing ourselves kindness, understanding and care is key in taking control of our wellbeing. Over the last year we have had more time to think than normal and if you are not in a positive mindset this can be a struggle. In order to help build new habits that lead to improved self-love we have put together some tips that we encourage you to practice on a day to day basis.
- Be honest with yourself
There are often blurred lines between self-care and letting yourself off the hook, it is important to be aware of the difference. Make sure you are actually caring for yourself and whatever you are doing is improving your mental or physical wellbeing. - Practice gratitude
This will allow you to recognise your self-worth and appreciate your own qualities as you would if they were in other people. You could try adding these to a list to refer to when you need a positive boost. - Exercise
Looking after your physical body is a big part of self-love, try and set some time aside to be active in your day – even if it is just 10 minutes. If you can do this outside, even better! - Congratulate yourself
At the end of every day (even if it has felt like a bad day), try to reflect and congratulate yourself on something you did or achieved, even if it seems like a small reason. - Acknowledge your feelings
Try not to ignore how you are feeling, try to show yourself compassion by valuing your own needs and wants. - Take positive actions
Once you have acknowledged any negative feelings try to solve these with a positive action. A simple action could eliminate or reduce the impact of these feelings.
Self-love should be a lifestyle so even if you consciously take on one of these tips you will hopefully notice an improvement in treating yourself with more kindness and care. Look out for our #LoveYourSmile campaign in the coming week, including the launch of our Solent Sessions podcast. Episode one will be live this Friday at 11am, with special guest Hazel Anderson-Turner, Business Psychologist and Coach.
With that said, we are here to support you. If you would like someone to talk to or extra support with your mental health, you can always get in contact with us. We have a range of mental health services available to you, as well as a list of online and telephone support you can access.