Have you ever wondered why you sometimes snap at other people only to realize it has nothing to do with other people at all? How do you talk to yourself? Do you put yourself down or beat yourself up when you make mistakes? Emotions can be tricky; it's important to be compassionate and forgiving when we make mistakes. This is the first step to self love - learning to love and forgive ourselves despite the occasional slip ups.

Self-love is something everybody has heard about by now. Some people are over hearing about it, others are wondering how to heck to do it! In a society that is constantly comparing themselves to others and consistently striving for delusional perfection, I honestly believe that it is a MUST to make self-love a part of your daily habits. Yes, I said habits, just like brushing your teeth or taking a shower, it should be considered self-maintenance.

Why? Because it all comes down to you.

Now, I'm not expert on the topic, but I have learned quite a bit since I started my "self-love journey" about 3 years ago. One thing that really helped me was looking at things from a third-person perspective.

Think about how you would talk to someone you really love. If they came to you with a problem and shared with you their most vulnerable stories, what would you say to them? If a friend told you about something they did that they regret or feel ashamed for, how would you talk to them? Are you using the same kindness and compassion you use with them to speak to yourself? If you aren't, try to use the same strategy by pretending you are your friend that is sharing their story.

Just like with any new habit, it will take consistent practice to make it almost effortless. Acknowledge how you feel and hold yourself accountable for your contribution, then be loving and compassionate so you can take the necessary steps to do better in the future. Don't give up if you don't get it right away. If you see yourself going down a dark path of negative self-talk, bring yourself back to a place of love and kindness. Try this for a few days and see how you feel.