3 Theories On Self Love
I personally believe that we exist in three parts:
The physical,
the emotional,
and the spirit.
In keeping with the cliché tradition of new year's resolutions, I am trying to do better about loving myself in all parts. I want to end this year with a clearer vision of my highest self, but I don’t want to turn self-love into a chore, so here’s what I’ve come up with to turn self-love tasks into rituals to feed my mind, body, and soul.
Physical:
Taking care of the physical body is the easiest part, in my opinion. You can buy natural products, commit to a skincare routine, and plan to have a cup of tea in the morning. The goal here is to do something that nourishes or feeds your body to help it feel and function at its best, not the societal best. I’ve made it a point to commit to healing my skin. I’ve been struggling with eczema for the past year, and so I am paying extra close attention to the ingredients in my products, where they come from, and how they're used. My game changer has been colloidal oatmeal, it’s helped me avoid steroids, and it’s been more proactive in helping heal my skin than any ingredient I’ve tried before. I make it a point to eat more colors in an effort to give my body the nutrients and vitamins it needs to thrive. Rainbow carrots are my latest food fixation, but that can change at any minute, and I also make it a point to schedule my monthly sugaring appointment. It keeps my skin soft, smooth, and glowy!
Emotional:
Caring for our emotional selves is a bit harder because emotions are vast. My goal this year is to stop policing my emotions and start embracing them, dissecting them, and honoring them while always keeping my safety in mind. Our emotions can serve as communication between our bodies and our souls, a window into the inner workings of our beings. We have been taught to associate our feelings with negative and positive connotations, and well, that’s just not helpful. Sadness isn’t always bad, and feeling productive is not always positive. When we take a moment to reflect inward, we can start to differentiate rational from irrational, but even more, we can find the roots of our feelings and treat them. I’ve started journaling. I find that it helps me sort out my who, what, where, and why when I feel out of control. It's a steady physical task that grounds me. But, if that’s not your speed, maybe you want to try having a vent session with a trusted person, your therapist, your esthetician, or maybe even with yourself in the mirror. The best way to handle our emotions is not around, but through. Having the right resources is the most important part of navigating our emotional challenges. Before embarking on your journey, please take the time to make sure you have the support you need.
Spiritual:
Navigating the spirit has been the hardest part so far. It’s hard to care for something we can’t physically feel or see, the spirit self sometimes feels distant, almost ethereal, but it shines through, truly. When our spirit is nourished and well-kept, we glow. We feel as if luck is on our side and progress toward being our best. I dabble in crystal practice, collecting and caring for stones that lend me their energy, but that’s not for everybody. How could it be? I have friends that have incorporated aromatherapy into their lives through body care and others who curate playlists that help them tune out the world. Nowadays, meditation apps are running rampant and psychedelic beverages that are meant to elevate the mind. There are so many ways to feed our spiritual selves. We can work on spiritual upkeep through art, music, meditation, masturbation, and other practices.
Self love was never a one size fits all concept, trying out a few is the key to finding the one right for you!