Living Like You Love Yourself

So I decided for my very first blog post EVER to write about a topic that seems to be popping up everywhere in my life right now, falling in love with yourself.

I know I know sorry to get all sappy on you guys right out the gate but bare with me. :)

So, living like you love yourself...easier said than done eh?

This topic is one that resonates with me because it is something that I, and several people dear to my heart, have struggled with at some point in their lives. Whether it be anxiety about body image, financial security, relationships, feeling inadequate, whatever the cause, these matters can make it rather difficult to live happily in the moment.

Recently I've struggled with my self-confidence in my dancing. Especially here in London, there are so many amazing dancers and I never feel good enough, but I always have to remember that there is ALWAYS going to be someone better than me, but that doesn't negate the progress I've made nor does it imply that my journey is insignificant. I have learned to acknowledge that everyone is in a different place on their journey and to be content with where I am on mine.

But enough about me and my problems. ;)

I found this image on Pinterest one day (it could've been any day because I am on it literally ALL the time) and it hit me like a really strong shot of whiskey (for the record I can't stand whiskey, even the kind I recently had in Germany)

 Boom. Four simple things to start doing to "love yourself."

1) Eating like you love yourself shows self-respect and is a way of expressing gratitude to our bodies for the incredible things it can do. I will touch more on this topic on another post because it gets me all fired up like a Mocha-Coconut Frappucino. 
 
2) Moving like you love yourself is an easy one for me, get up and dance. Dance is my ultimate way of self-expression and it gets me up and moving. How do you use your body on a daily basis to express who you are? You have but one body, use it without limitation.

3) Speaking like you love yourself is, to me, the most powerful of the four. Humility is of course very important, but we must still carry a high sense of self-worth. Speaking highly of ourselves both verbally and mentally is key. My theory is that happiness comes from the inside out; our souls can hear what we say inside our heads, so having negative thoughts is a sure fire way to bring about some mopey feelings. Anytime I find myself saying things like "you're not good enough for so-and-so" or "you look like a giant beached whale" I "P.A.R.": Pause. Acknowledge. Redirect. Take a moment to halt the negative thought, acknowledge that it is there and that you don't need it, and redirect it to something constructive and useful to you. Do this enough times and positive thoughts will be the first and only ones to fill up that pretty little brain of yours. Parle-vous positivity? ;)

4) Acting like you love yourself is a combination of all the above. Every decision and action we make throughout the day combines to make up who we are. I don't know about you but I want to be the happiest, most perfect best possible version of me that I can. 

So wherever you are in your life right now, I hope you can take the time to meditate and acknowledge all the wonderful things happening to you right now: whether it be your loved ones, health, career, children, anything that makes your soul smile. Practice being in the moment and being appreciative. I feel that our time on this Earth is so limited, so we must make the best of it! <3

What are some of your tips and tricks to staying positive and expressing your love for yourself? Comment below and I can't wait to try them out!