Self-love, first love.

The movement of self-love and care is upon us and there’s good reason for it.

I am a strong believer that all love in our life stems from the love we have for ourselves.

We live in a world of instant gratification, constant virtual connection and show-casing the best version of ourselves online. We’re bombarded with information and marketing to make us feel as if we are missing something. That we need the latest product to be good enough or to fit in.

Social media has created a show of edited photos/videos and staged stories that make us question our own beauty, success or life. We’re constantly comparing ourselves to the standard that society has created – that doesn’t actually exist at all.

We are never taught that we are enough exactly how we are.

We are never taught that our success and productivity doesn’t define our worth.

And we are never taught that the photos are edited. The videos aren’t real.

When it comes down to it, social media is just another form of marketing.

Don’t get me wrong, social media can be an amazing tool when used in the right way. But there’s no wonder that this is taking a toll on individuals mental health.

Studies have shown that one in four young Australians say that body image is their top concern.

Our bodies do so much for us, day in and day out, so it’s our job to take off it the best we can.

Eating disorders and disordered eating together are estimated to affect over 16% of the Australian population. And one in six Australians are currently experiencing depression or anxiety or both.

When we’re young, we’re sponges absorbing all of the information and experiences around us that form our beliefs and opinions that we carry with us generally until we’re an adult.

How are these beliefs about ourselves formed?

They are normally created in two ways: by our experiences, inferences and deductions, or by accepting what others tell us to be true.

When we are born, we are like a blank canvas waiting to be painted with beliefs and experiences. We are impressionable and look for meaning in almost everything because we are naturally extremely inquisitive. Our parents, friends, schooling and environment play a big part in molding our beliefs.

During this phase we are unable to discern between truth and falsehood so we often accept what we are told as truth or how we are made to feel as truth.

Although, when we are young is the time of our lives when we need to be setting positive belief systems, trauma, negative experiences and words can form negative or false beliefs or thought patterns about ourselves. This is often not done intentionally to hurt a child of course, but it is extremely common.

For example, as a child in school you may have constantly been picked last on the sports team. This experience creates a thought in your mind that you are not good enough. Every time you aren’t picked first, the thought of not being good enough arises again. And although there may be many other reasons why you weren’t picked first, your mind believes not being good enough to be the true reason. You have decided that you are not good enough from this experience and how it made you feel.

This is just a simple example of how our experiences as a child shape our negative self-belief systems that we carry with us as an adult.

And this is where hypnosis can be your magic weapon to a life without these thought patterns.

Whether it’s negative body image, lack of self-esteem, disordered eating, anxiety of not being good enough, hypnosis can be the key to freedom from these thoughts. Many people have experienced huge shifts after just one session.

Click here to read our blog post which dives into what hypnotherapy is and how it works. 

But for now, here’s five things you can do to boost your self-love this week:

Do something kind for yourself every single week

When was the last time you did something for yourself that you really enjoy? For no other reason at all other than the fact that it makes you happy? Whether that’s reading by the beach, going to movies or taking yourself on a coffee date.

Find something that brings you joy and prioritize that time for yourself.

Develop a self-love routine

As I’ve said previously self-love is first love. The more love you give yourself, the more love you can give into other people.

Developing a simple routine where you can pour energy into yourself and make yourself feel good can work wonders in growing your own love. Perhaps it’s a simple face mask in the bath with a cup of tea and a good book. Or maybe, it’s getting a massage and going for a swim in the ocean. Whatever self-love means to you, create a routine you do and incorporate it into your week.

Use positive affirmations

Never heard of positive affirmations? Well, this free tool can be an absolute game-changer in developing deeper self-love! Positive affirmations are just that, affirmations that are positive.

Practicing positive affirmations is an extremely simple practice, all you need to do is pick a phrase and repeat it to yourself.

You may choose to use positive affirmations to motivate yourself, encourage positive changes in your life, or boost your self-esteem.

Do you find yourself constantly slipping into negative narratives? Affirmations can be your new best friend. Every time you notice a negative thought come into your mind simply replace it with a conscious positive thought.

You can also write down positive affirmations about thoughts you would like to shift or things you want to change in your life and repeat them to yourself every morning.

Here’s a positive affirmation example to get your inspired, “I am positive, inspired and content with my life exactly how it is”.

Tip: Start your affirmation with “I am”, this tells your mind and body that you are already experiencing it!

Incorporate self-love meditations

Meditation is an incredible tool for so many reasons. It helps connect with yourself, slow down your thoughts and relax your whole body. Practicing self-love meditations in particular can be extremely useful in cultivating that feeling from within. There are a number of amazing guided meditations out there for free. Simply search self-love meditation on Youtube or a meditation app. Insight Timer and Headspace are great!

Start Journaling

Journaling is another simple but extremely effective way to get to know yourself better, again, it’s free and all you need is a pen and paper! If you find yourself stuck for what to write about, maybe begin with your day and what you’re grateful for or some of your current struggles.

By writing down our thoughts and emotions, free from judgment, we can develop a deeper understanding and acceptance of who we are and what we want our values and attitudes to be. The benefits of journaling are specifically why therapists have been recommending the technique of journaling to clients for years.

I hope this has inspired you to invest in your own self-love journey. Believe me, you are so worthy and loved but you need to feel that within yourself.

If you need help on your self-love journey or have self-limiting beliefs that you want to be free from, I am here to help!

Contact me today to discuss how you can benefit from a hypnosis session and grow your self-love.