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- [Instructor] Hey, Psych2Goers.
Welcome back to another video.
Do you know what self love is?
It's more than changing your hair,
getting a new wardrobe or attempting to redefine yourself.
Self-love is gaining an appreciation for yourself
through the physical, emotional and spiritual support
you provide yourself with.
It's not a fixed state, but can grow over time
through actions that lead to maturity.
Establishing self love can be a long journey
but it's a vital step to improving your mental health
and overall happiness.
So, here are a few tips that may help you along the way.
Number one, forgive yourself.
Are you incredibly tough on yourself?
Sometimes when you're struggling for perfection
you end up overlooking the fact that you're only human.
Although you may tell yourself
that you're just holding yourself accountable,
too much self-deprecation can be harmful
to your mental health.
Instead, learning to forgive yourself
for the mistakes you make
and treating them as opportunities to grow,
is a step towards practicing self-love.
Number two, be mindful.
Are the goals you set for yourself really what you want
or are they pushed onto you by society?
Being introspective or mindful
can give you a sense of clarity into who you are
how you think and what you want.
It arms you with self knowledge
that you can use to move forward.
Some ways to practice mindfulness
include keeping a journal, meditating
or just taking some time to self-reflect.
Number three, act on what you need.
Do you know what gives you energy?
What makes you happy?
Perhaps you're feeling overwhelmed
with needing to spend so much time with your friends
or colleagues, but feel bad for wanting to step away.
Choosing to go anyways may end up draining your energy
and leaving you exhausted.
That's why it's so important to identify the things
that make you feel better
versus the things that make you feel worse.
Knowing what you need and acting on those needs
is a form of self love.
And it can go a long way for your mental
and emotional wellbeing
which brings us to number four, set boundaries.
Are there certain behaviors
that you're not willing to put up with?
The purpose of setting boundaries is not to kick people
out of your life but rather to help you identify
what is acceptable or welcomed in your life and what's not.
Healthy boundaries help you filter out things
that drain your energy, harm you emotionally,
physically or spiritually.
A way to set boundaries
is by starting with Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Figure out what you need to feel loved or accepted
and then work from there.
Number five, protect yourself.
What type of people do you surround yourself with?
Another way to practice self love is to protect yourself.
This may mean bringing people into your life
who will be supportive and who contribute
to your emotional, mental and spiritual health
instead of tearing it apart.
Getting rid of fake friends
or anyone who takes pleasure in your misery is important
for your self esteem and self confidence.
Number six, live intentionally.
What makes your eyes light up?
What inspires you?
Sometimes it's easy to just follow a routine
in your day to day life
to the point where you stopped giving it much thought
but it's important to live life with intention
and to make choices that help you move towards your goals.
For example,
if you intend to live a peaceful and healthy life
you need to make choices that support that goal
that may include learning how to meditate
or starting to change your diet for the better.
Number seven, show up for yourself.
Do you scold yourself when you don't finish everything
you set out to do?
There will be times where you don't accomplish
everything you plan to do
but, acknowledging the effort you've given
and the amount you have done is important.
It's easy to focus on only your fault
but showing yourself kindness and compassion,
even in how you talk to yourself can help override
some of the negative mental patterns you may have
and help you feel loved and supported.
And number eight, practice self-care.
Do you tend to ignore your needs sometimes?
Taking care of your basic needs is an act of love.
Even taking a few minutes out of your day to check in
and provide yourself with what you need
can help you feel a lot better.
Whether it's soaking in a hot bath,
eating something healthy or even working out.
Practicing self-care can go a long way
for your mental health and your happiness.
Have you practiced any of these types of self-love?
Let us know in the comments below.
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The references and studies used in this video
are added in the description below.
Thanks for watching.
And will see you in the next one.