Since it is the month of love, let’s emphasize on self-love. Brene Brown says: “Talk to yourself like someone you love”.
What comes to mind when you think about that?
Well to me, I think about all the times I speak negatively about myself to others. And all the times I could have spoken life and loved myself unconditionally.
My stomach is fat. I feel fat. I have stretch marks. I can’t make that speech. I can’t do this. I can’t do that, because of this.
What!
What do you do when you hear your friend or your colleague saying, “oh no, I can’t do this TV interview”? Or your friend speaking down on herself. Don’t you stop them and encourage them? That’s what I do. I try to change their perspective and make them see themselves the way I see them. As amazing, motivational beings. So why can’t we do this for ourselves?
I remember passing a lady giving a compliment to her friend about how good she looks in her dress. Her friend gave a self-loathing response. How terrible is that? Sometimes I find myself doing the same thing.
Listen, I know I’m not perfect, this is something I struggle with too, but I need to share this. We need to give ourselves that extra love. And we need to stop ourselves whenever we go off self-loathing. It won’t be easy, but we can always start somewhere.
By looking in the mirror every morning and/or night and starting with “You’re beautiful”, or “You were amazing at X today” or, “You’re going to be amazing at X tomorrow”. “You look good in that dress”, “I love your smile”, “You’ve got beautiful eyes”. Simple positive things you’re always telling others. Why not tell say that to yourself?
We should also start counting our blessings. Penning down all we are grateful for. Things in your life and putting it somewhere you can see it every day. Even better, hang it by your mirror, so that you can get into the mindset of being positive. Pen down positive things on sticky notes to make it look funky!
Another thing to do is start surrounding yourself with positive people. People that speaks positively over their lives and speak positively over yours. Lift as you rise. That’s a very powerful statement. Because as you reach that point in your life, encouraging and lift others around you too.
We need to unlearn all those negative thinking and talks. Give yourself that time to adore who you are. You were uniquely, fearfully and wonderfully made.
Remember, you are worthy of being loved. You are even more worthy of loving yourself and speaking life over your life.
So, go out there, talk to yourself as someone you love, and do so unapologetically.
And use that same kind of love you give others, add a bit more extra and love yourself.
Because if you don’t, then who will? 😉