Self-Love Rituals: Simple Practices to Cultivate Confidence and Inner Peace
Introduction
Many of us ignore self-love owing to our dynamic lifestyle. The most important ingredient in a self-love ritual is “YOU.” How many times have you postponed the much-needed salon trip, the annual health appraisal, reading the latest novel by your favourite author, airing out your cupboard, and so on? The list may be endless.
Little do we realise that we need to love ourselves first and foremost before anyone else. When we love ourselves, it becomes easier to love our family and friends, as we are in a “good space” emotionally. We accept ourselves for who we are and can be at peace. Self-love makes us more confident and positive about ourselves. There will be a glow on our faces and lightness in our steps. We will radiate happiness and positivity and spread good cheer wherever we go.
The crux of the matter is keeping aside some time, each day, and practising some self-loving rituals. We need to remember that we are humans with feelings and emotions. We do get exhausted at times. We do feel the need to set aside our responsibilities for a short while and relax. We need to unwind and “let go.” We need to recover our confidence and positivity. We need to clear our heads, now and then, so that we can capably face any situation in our lives.
Self-love rituals/practices
Everyone is unique, and self-love rituals/practices differ from person to person. Here are some common self-love rituals that we can follow to be happier and calmer.
- Wake with positive thoughts: Each morning, when you wake up, think of a loving thought before getting out of bed. It could be gratitude for the good sleep you had last night; the happiness you feel for the cool morning air; the thought that today is going to be one of the best days; or any thought that makes you feel positive, happy, grateful, or motivated.
- Just be: Just be with yourself and your thoughts and feelings. No need to begin your day by thinking about the impending office meeting or the exam results of your child, or any thought that stresses you. Let your thoughts flow, like clouds in the sky. Do not stop them.
- Eat mindfully: Be mindful of food. If you are preparing a meal, then do so mindfully and with love. Take your own sweet time prepping from scratch and cooking. Lay the table with the new exquisite cutlery and crockery. Keep a vase of fresh flowers on the table. Plate your meal like a master chef. Sit and eat, savouring one morsel at a time. Feel the food with your senses – the aroma of the fresh coffee, the salty, nutty flavours on your tongue; the smoothness of the textures; the beautifully plated dish; Chew each bite mindfully. Eating a meal prepared with love requires eating it with love, too!
- No digital devices: In your morning routine, avoid looking at your mobile phone even before you are out of bed. Mornings are your time to do some exercise, Yoga, meditation, Journaling, and affirmations. It is time to sit on the balcony and listen to the birds chirping, feel the cool breeze in your hair, soak in some sunlight, water your plants, and just be there, in that moment.
- Eat healthy: Your body deserves to be healthy and cared for. Follow a healthy lifestyle to make your body healthy and feel good. Eat foods that are rich in nutrients to feel good. Eat, not just to look good, but to feel good, as well.
- Early bedtime: Your body requires time to repair and reset. Maintain and follow an early bedtime routine. Finish your dinner 3-4 hours before bedtime. Avoid coffee in the evening for better sleep. Practice some breathing exercises before sleeping. Sleeping early each night will help your body’s digestion and metabolism. You will awake fresh and energetic the next morning.
- Thank your body: Be thankful for your body and how it helps you get through each day in your life. Count your blessings that all your senses are active and alive. Give yourself a pat on the back or a hug to express your love and gratitude. Treat your body with loving care.
- Self-acceptance: Write down all the qualities that you possess. Once the list is done, you will be able to recognise your good side and begin working on improving your bad side. Accepting yourself, with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on another shoulder, is self-acceptance.
- Let go: It is often painful to hold on to memories/relationships. Learn to let go of such memories /relationships are free yourself of guilt, sadness, remorse. Accept that what is done is done and move ahead, with clarity of thought and hope for the future.
- De-clutter: Time to air out your wardrobe or useless items that you may have saved/hoarded “just in case, they are required in the future”. Any item, unused, for more than a year, goes straight out of your home or to the recycling bin or to a charity. Similarly, any thoughts that cloud your mind and judgment deserve to be recycled.
- Say no: Many of us find it difficult to refuse others for deeds/acts that may inconvenience us, as we feel bad to refuse. Be firm; what is too much to handle ought to be left alone. Do as much as possible, and leave the rest for later. Do not let deadlines or favours impose on you. Politely decline. After all, when you were not around, the work was getting done, so why be taken for granted?
- Stand up: Stand up for yourself, as the only one who cares for you- it’s you! No one on earth can care for you as much as you can. Be firm and assertive, if required, and do not be a doormat.
- As you like it: Invest some time in doing activities that you like and that make you happy. Hobbies or learning something new, making new friends, organising get-togethers, meeting friends and hanging out, getting a fancy hairstyle, reading a book, volunteering, spending time outdoors, playing with your pet, anything that makes you feel happy at heart and at peace mind.
- Motivation: Motivate yourself and be your cheerleader. Read inspirational books, listen to motivational speakers, and learn to find ways to motivate yourself and become a better person.
- No comparisons: Never, ever, compare yourself with others and invoke feelings of jealousy, bitterness, hatred, incompetence, inadequacy, or any other negative feelings and emotions. All of us have faced a lot in life to reach where we are. No one knows the inner demons and battles we are facing, or, for that matter, what others face. You are very worthy, as you are.
- Positive self-talk: Indulge in positive self-talk. Stand in front of the mirror and repeat “I am the best,” “I am healthy and happy,” “I love you,” “I can do it,” “I am giving my best,” and others. Repeating them daily makes it a part of your nature.
- Calm corner: Sit for a while in your “calm corner”, where you can just be as you are. Just be present and mindful of that moment. Do not think about any worrisome or unforeseen events. Pause, breathe deeply, and calm down.
- Keep the faith: Faith is powerful. Bask in it. This will make you know more about yourself and will hone your intuition. Believe in yourself and learn to appreciate yourself.
- Social life: Maintain a good social life in the company of good friends and family. Go for excursions, throw parties, revel in the company of loved ones, laugh, let your hair down, and learn to enjoy these precious moments with loved ones. At times, we do require the company of loved ones to feel good and happy.
- Gift yourself: Purchase a gift for yourself. Treat yourself to a meal, gift yourself a spa session, and pamper yourself. It is perfectly fine to buy a gift for yourself.
- You are enough: Loving yourself is important. You are enough for yourself. Self-love is the best love you can get. You do not require validation from others. You are complete, as you are.
- Meditation: Set aside some time to meditate and calm yourself, and connect with your inner self. Meditation is beneficial for the mind and body. It heightens your awareness.
- Affirmations: Practice affirmations – positive statements that make us evolve and achieve our aspirations. Repeated reiterations improve our thoughts.
These are but a few practices that can make our lives easier. The love and respect for ourselves make us better individuals. We can face problems head-on. We are in total acceptance of ourselves. We learn to love and appreciate ourselves, with all our blemishes.
Self-love is often ignored, and we need to practice it more often. Deadlines can be rescheduled; meetings can be postponed; worrying about your child’s exam results will not alter their results – what is done is done; but, if you are no longer alive, how will all these things matter? Killing yourself with stress is not the solution. Loving yourself is!
Task
Every morning, look in the mirror and say, “I love you.” Gradually, it will become a habit and a way of life. Go on, show yourself some self-love. Endless opportunities await you.
