Don't let this stop you from showing yourself a little loveđź’•
So, lately, I have been sharing more about self-reflection and ways you can do so. Â I started sharing about this because it’s something I personally do, especially each year around my bday to reset for the coming year. Â
Within the same focus area is self-love. Â It’s another BIG topic for me. Â In fact, each year during my bday month, we would host a special event for Single Moms I’ve worked with to encourage them to intentionally take time for themselves.
We all know how challenging it can be, as (any) women, to be intentional about self-love. Â If you noticed, I keep focusing on self-love, not self-care.
Ok, ok…we all think we have the self-care routine down. You know…the “occasional spa day, getting your nails done, or overindulging in your personal …umm… habits 🙂. But real talk, how often do we take care of ourselves?  No, like, really take care of ourselves.
You know, like stop putting yourself on the back burner to take care of everyone else’s needs and then giving yourself the little of what’s left over, if anything. Heck, for some, you still giving your all and have nothing left for you, yet there are things you want for yourself (or at least you did).
We have to get back to Loving Ourselves!
We want to be loved by others, but seriously, if you do not love yourself for yourself and really love yourself, then how can you expect anyone else to?
I get it! Sounds easier said than done, especially when you are out of practice. I mean, when you try to practice self-love, you tend to run into a few obstacles along the way. These can really derail your progress if you aren’t prepared.Â
But there’s HOPE. Â Hey, there’s always HOPE here. Â Isn’t that great? You can always expect that here.
Ok, I digressed…(clears throat)
You can take steps to prevent the common obstacles of self-love by being aware of them. Yeah, pretty much always the most common step.  Any real recovery starts with acknowledging the problem.  So, let’s look at some of the most common obstacles people face when trying to practice more self-love.
Common Self-Love Obstacles People Faceđź“”
- You aren’t surrounded by positive, healthy relationships
A major obstacle to self-love is toxic people. If you are surrounded by people who drain your energy and have a negative outlook, you’re going to struggle to practice self-love.Â
Surround yourself with positive, healthy relationships. While all relationships go through hard times, for the most part, they should lift you up and make you feel positive about yourself. So, if you have relationships that cause you more misery than happiness, now is the time to start taking a step back and focusing on healthier, happier relationships. After all, you’ll struggle to love yourself if you are surrounded by people who make you feel bad.
- Feelings of guilt and selfishness
Another big barrier to practicing self-love is feelings of guilt and selfishness. It is common to feel like self-love is selfish. This can lead to feelings of guilt when you attempt to focus more on yourself.
You need to understand the importance of self-love. It isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity for your health and well-being. It certainly isn’t selfish, so you absolutely shouldn’t feel guilty for trying to love yourself more.Â
- Needing to be perfect
Perfectionism is a major obstacle to self-love. While a bit of perfectionism can be a good thing, especially in business, it can also lead to disappointment, frustration, and unhappiness.Â
When you feel like everything must be perfect, you aren’t going to be happy when you fall short. So, try and let go of your need to be perfect. Understand what draws your perfectionism and identify your triggers. Remember, nobody is perfect, not even you!
- Not understanding how to love yourself
Finally, another barrier is not understanding how to love yourself. Many people don’t fully understand what self-love means. They mistakenly think it is about doing things you want to do rather than what you need.
Self-love isn’t just about treating yourself; it is about making sure you are fulfilling your needs. For example, if you want to lose weight, indulging in junk food isn’t going to help, even though it might bring temporary joy. Instead, a healthier diet and exercise routine is considered a form of self-love as it helps you to become healthier and fulfills the body’s needs.
These are just some of the common obstacles to self-love you need to be aware of. By being aware, you’ll be able to figure out how to overcome them if they do arise. Finding people you trust and who build you up is a big part of being able to practice self-love. However, don’t forget to be your own personal cheerleader too.
Hey, stay encouraged and show yourself some serious love. Â Talk soon. Â And remember, God Loves you, and so do I, but you must love you, too.
Stay Blessed up!
