A Guide to Self-Love: What It Means, How To Practice It & Why We All Need Some

“You can't truly love someone else until you learn to love yourself.” This quote by Leelah Alcorn, a trans teenage girl who committed suicide in 2014 after being forced into conversion therapy, has stuck with me since I first read it on her obituary page. It's so simple yet so profound.

The truth is that we all need self-love and self-care—and not just because it feels good! To better understand why this is the case, let's take a closer look at what these things really are and how they can benefit us.

Self-love is about valuing yourself as a unique and valuable individual. It's about accepting yourself for who you are, both your good qualities and your flaws. When you love yourself, you don't put up with toxicity or abusive behavior from others—because you know that you deserve better. You also become more forgiving of yourself, which means that you're less likely to beat yourself up over mistakes, regrets or missed opportunities.

Self-care is about taking good care of your body and mind through habits like making time for physical activity, setting boundaries with people who are toxic in your life, meditating on a regular basis and trying new things—even if they make you feel a little bit uncomfortable. When you practice self-care, you're investing in your own happiness and wellbeing, which makes you stronger and more resilient.

So why is it so important for us to learn how to love ourselves and take care of ourselves? Because when we feel good about ourselves on the inside, it shows on the outside. We're better able to communicate our feelings, handle conflict with others and express ourselves authentically without putting up a front. We also become less likely to be influenced by the opinions of other people and more inclined to do what's right for us.

Connection is one of life’s greatest gifts—but we can only experience it when we truly open up and let others in. And that's only possible when we're feeling good about ourselves, which is why self-love and self-care are so important. When we take care of ourselves, it shows that we respect and value ourselves enough to invest in our own happiness. This makes it easier for others to connect with us on a deeper level, and ultimately, that's what we all crave.

So if you're feeling lost or stuck in a negative cycle, take some time for yourself to recharge and reflect. Do something that makes you feel good, even if it's something small. Take a hot bath, read your favorite book, take a walk in nature, or do some yoga. The key is to find what works for you and make time for it regularly. And most importantly, be gentle with yourself; accept your flaws and mistakes, and forgive yourself for them.

Self-love is not about being selfish or self-absorbed—it's actually the opposite! When we love ourselves, it allows us to have more compassion for other people who are struggling with their own insecurities. We can't expect everyone else to be perfect all the time if we're only willing to give them love when they are.

Self-love is empowering, and that isn't just my opinion—it's science! Research shows that people who practice self-compassion experience less anxiety around their insecurities because it allows us to accept the negative things about ourselves instead of constantly fighting against them. Self-acceptance might sound like the opposite of self-love, but it's actually what helps us to love ourselves more. When we learn how to be kind and gentle with our shortcomings—instead of constantly berating them—we can begin to treat others (and ourselves) with more compassion because we’re not stuck in that negative cycle anymore!

Self-love is not a new concept—for centuries, Eastern cultures have been practicing it as part of their spiritual and religious practices. But in recent years, self-care has become more mainstream because so many people are finally realizing how important it truly is!

Connection is one of life’s greatest gifts—but we can only experience it when we truly open up and let others in.