Self-care and self-love, two terms that have profound meaning, however, not deeply understood. So what is self care and self love? How practicing self care and self love help you feel your best? Is self-care and self-love the same? Well, the truth is that while they maybe similar, they are not the same. They do fall under one umbrella and while one compliments the other, they have their own essence.

Self-care and self-love are two sides of a coin. The difference between self- care and self-love is that self-care is the need to take care of yourself, while self-love is the desire to be kind towards yourself.

What does self-love and self-care mean?

Self-love is when you take a look at yourself with a lens of empathy, when you treat yourself with respect and when you allow yourself to make mistakes without beating yourself up too much.

When we talk about taking care of ourselves, it can mean anything from getting enough sleep and eating well to treating ourselves to a day off. It can also include spending time doing something we enjoy or taking time off from work and breaking free from our daily activities. Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming; it just needs to be a good fit for what you need at that moment.

Here are some self-care and self-love activities to practice in your day-to-day life:

(1) Learn how to say ‘no.’

You may worry that, by saying no, you will lose opportunities and miss out on life experiences and most importantly someone else will feel bad, which will lead to guilt. But the truth is that you have the ability to say no, it’s about knowing how to say it.

If someone asks you to do something that doesn’t align with your values, or if it doesn’t feel right for you, don’t let guilt or external pressure make you feel like give up control. It’s okay to say you aren’t able to go through with what they are asking for because of X reasons and what they could look at as an alternate solution. Saying No is about saying No, without saying No.

(2)  Unplug.

To practice self-love, you need to unplug. Unplugging from technology is a great way to give yourself space and time away from the constant barrage of notifications and messages that flood our social media feeds.

It’s important to know what your technology habits are so that you can figure out when it’s appropriate for you to go into “offline mode.” 

(3)  Talk yourself up!

When you feel down, it is easy to slip into negative self-talk. Instead of focusing on all your faults, remind yourself of the qualities that make you special and unique. Practice self-care by speaking positively to yourself, like- I love myself, I am enough, or I am beautiful. Keep in mind, have a few affirmations handy, you may not be able to talk yourself up in the moment if you aren’t prepared.

(4) Set personal boundaries.

Personal boundaries are the limits you set for yourself. It lets you know what is acceptable, and unacceptable for you.. 

When you have a clear idea of where your boundaries lie, it’s easier to take care of yourself because you can make choices based on what you prioritise for yourself, not just what other people want or expect from you.

(5) Create a routine that works for you.

Creating a routine is a necessary part of practicing self-care. If you don’t have one, it can be difficult to prioritize yourself over other tasks. To do this, start by taking inventory of what makes you feel good and what helps you relax, and then add those items first thing in the morning or spread them out in small bursts throughout the day.

Conclusion:

Self-care and self-love are two of the most important components of a healthy life. It’s not always easy to practice them, but you must slowly make it a habit to do so. Because if you don’t care for yourself, how will anyone else? What’s more, practicing self-care and self-love is an important part of living a life that feels meaningful to you. Start to incorporate more self-care and self-love into your life from today because there is no better time than now.

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