In honor of this day of love, here are my top 5 ways to start falling in love with yourself!  

Are you thinking… seriously, fall in love with myself?  Yep, You read right! The more you love and accept yourself, the more open your heart is to giving and receiving love from others.  To really love and accept others as they are and have them love and accept us as we are; we first need to love ourselves.

The topic of self-love is one that has been coming up more and more with those I work with.  In order for you to live the life you really want to, to have the confidence, to feel empowered,  to take your life to the next level, you need to be the best version of yourself each and every day.

The place to start is through practicing self-love.  For much of our lives we’ve been taught to give love away,  that if we’re not working hard and taking care of others we’re being selfish.  And in fact, we’re taught that practicing self-love is selfish.

What few of us are ever taught is that loving and taking care of ourselves allows us to show up in the world as our best selves, it’s not selfish at all!  When we practice self-care, set boundaries and expectations for our personal needs we are not weighted down with stress, exhaustion, and unnecessary problems.   

We show up better in the world, we are happier and we are able to serve and love others in a more authentic way.  I’ve put together my 5 top ways to throw a lil more self-love into your life starting today!

1. Practice gratitude- about you and your body.  Make a list of ten things that you are grateful for.  Bonus points- If there is a physical pain you are experiencing or something that is bothering you, try being grateful for the good in it.  ie “My knee is really bothering me when I run lately” becomes “I am so grateful that my body still allows me to run and feel free each day.”  
2. Say no instead of yes more often.  This is probably the most liberating thing I’ve ever done.  I used to be a people pleaser, I’m a caregiver by nature and would often find myself agreeing to take on tasks and do things that I really didn’t have the time, energy, or desire to do.  Try this and let me know how it goes for you!
3. Do (at least) one thing each day that brings you joy!  Whether it’s taking a walk in nature, cooking, having a great conversation with a friend, spending quality time with your partner.  Put it on your schedule with as much priority and importance as any other task during your day. Remember when you’re happy and feeling good- the world also benefits as well!  
4. Treat yourself to a self-care ritual each night- take a bath, put on a facial mask, paint your nails, you get the idea.  Bonus points if you indulge in a great book or just have quiet time while you do it.
5. Splurge on yourself- (whether it’s with time or an experience)  treat yourself to something you’ve been wanting to do. Maybe it’s going to see a movie, or going to an event, spending time at the beach, eating a brownie, purchasing art supplies, etc.  Maybe you do something that used to really lit you up when you were younger that you haven’t made time to do. Make it something that will make your heart sing.

However, you decide to spend your time practicing self-love, make it a special time to honor yourself, how special you are and how much you give to the world.  You are worth it. Let us know what your favorite practices are and how they have helped shift your life.

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