The truth is in order to be in a healthy relationship, you have to be in one with yourself. It’s ok to put yourself first, especially when it comes to your mental and emotional health.
Here are 5 ways to love yourself for better mental and emotional health.
1. Honesty
“How are you today?” This question comes up a lot, but how often do you tell that person how you really feel?
Be honest. In these rough COVID times, it’s difficult to convey how we feel to one another, but that shouldn’t stop us from being honest. If you’re feeling stressed or down, say so.
Your loved ones care and if they ask, tell them how you truly feel. Another great way is to meditate or take a walk in the park. This will alleviate stress and leave you feeling relieved.
2. Be Mindful
We are all busy people and we can easily become stressed by everything that is going on around us. Meditation is a useful tool to focus inwards, lower our stress levels, improve the connection we have with ourselves which leads us to be kinder to ourselves and to others.
One has to look within themselves to nurture and devote time and energy to.
Here is an introduction to meditation — Basic meditation for beginners
3. Get Physical
Your mental health is one thing, this also coincides with your physical health, similar to Ying and Yang. Take time to walk in the park or in nature reserve for at least twenty minutes a day, this can help clear your mind and release dopamine (feel-good hormones!).
Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings and emotions.
4. I Got My Back
The phrase “you are what you eat”. Writing a list of the things you eat can determine if you’re living a healthy lifestyle, do any of those items on the list cause you to feel regret bad after eating them? If so, being mindful of what you eat can also enhance the way you feel. Nutrition is an essential part of life, is really applicable here and it applies to your daily life.
Don’t forget to sleep! 7–8 hours rest rejuvenates and reenergizes the body.
5. Be You
Find out what makes you feel good. Care as much about yourself as you do for others. Compassion for yourself is showing and dedicating feelings for your own as well as for others.
Find what makes you happy, whether that’s from meeting up with family, taking up a new hobby, getting outdoors, or even rewinding with a cup of tea and a book. All these wonderful things can invigorate your life in order to find inner love.
Therefore, he who values the world as much as he values himself, can be entrusted with the ruling of the world.
He who loves the world as much as he loves himself, can be entrusted with the guidance of the world — Tao Te Ching
