6 Ways to Love Yourself and Develop Confidence

Self-love is the state of respect and acceptance for yourself as a human being. A person who loves themself embraces the various components that make up their whole being—personality, physicality, talents, emotions, and flaws. They see their own self-worth and believe they are worthy of living the best life they can create for themselves.

You do not have to feel that you are perfect to feel worthy of love. People who love themselves may wish to improve various aspects of their lives, yet they do not let their flaws push them toward low self-esteem or, worse, self-loathing. Strive to be the best version of yourself, but do not let your aspirations degrade your present self-image.

With growth, maturity, and practice comes greater self-love. Use these tips for self-care to cultivate a healthy relationship with yourself.

1. 1. Practice affirmations. You can activate your self-esteem in the way you talk to yourself. Try repeating mantras or words of affirmation on a daily basis. Repeating phrases like “Everyone feels anxious and insecure at times” or “This hard time is only temporary” can anchor your emotions and prevent moments of self-doubt from puncturing your self-love. No, you cannot squelch all negative thoughts, but through affirmations, you can limit them and place them into a healthy perspective.
2. 2. Pursue activities that make you feel good. Seek activities that give you joy and pleasure. Fun activities cause your body to produce serotonin, which in turn lightens your mood and can improve self-contentment. Choose hobbies that challenge you but not to the point of impossibility. As you set challenges and then meet them, you boost your self-confidence and, with it, your self-love.
3. 3. Try new things. When you break out of your comfort zone, you set up opportunities to exceed your own expectations. If you consider yourself shy and retreating, consider taking a group class where you study a new language. You’ll force yourself to confront a particular anxiety (speaking in front of a group) while challenging yourself to learn something new. This activity, and others like it, can help you push past insecurities. If such a challenge seems daunting, look into doing it with someone else—like taking that language class with a loved one or your best friend.
4. 4. Practice mindfulness. Take care of yourself mentally and emotionally with mindfulness exercises. Seek moments of stillness, and tune your senses to perceive stimuli within that stillness. Use these quiet moments of mindfulness to center your thoughts and focus on positivity. Your daily life is filled with competing stimuli, and sometimes only the loudest or more abrasive messages get through. Use moments of mindfulness to clear away criticism and negative self-talk. When you pursue letting go of your inner critic, you diminish anxiety and perceive yourself as a better person.
5. 5. Take account of your community. Think of the people in your community—loved ones, friends, colleagues. Consider your behavior toward them. Do you help others, serving as a force for positive change? If people bring negativity into your life, do you tune them out, or do you mirror their negativity? By examining your relationships and interpersonal behaviors, you can gain insight into your self-perception. People who love themselves often prioritize their own well-being, surrounding themselves with positive people. Cultivate positive relationships and set healthy boundaries to keep out those who would diminish your self-esteem.
6. 6. Embrace the gift of solitude. Whether you live in a small town or New York City, seek out moments to keep your own company. When you learn to care for yourself during alone time, you gain self-possession and self-love. Find hobbies you like to do alone, like reading, walking, cycling, gardening, or making home repairs. Accept the idea that doing “nothing” can be perfectly fine. Time spent alone is time spent learning how to love yourself, which will provide stability to your relationships. After all, a big part of loving others is learning to love yourself first.

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