From childhood, you are taught that helping others and loving others is the key to life. A very few people know that a closed and unhappy mind cannot help others open up or love them. If you do not love and appreciate yourself, why would somebody else feel the same to you. Many people do not even know the true meaning of self-love and think that loving oneself is being a narcissist which is wrong.
First of all, self-love is not keeping you above others. It is also not about being selfish. It is about treating yourself in a way that you connect with your mind and body and feel happy with yourself. Loving yourself takes a whole new meaning when you consider you as important as others in your life. It not only takes you out of any mental or emotional stress you might be facing, but also eliminates self-doubt and fear that has taken roots in your mind.
The last thing that you can call practicing self-love is that it is selfish. We give so much love and importance to others but forget that to spread love, you need love inside you. Flooding your mind and heart with love for yourself will help you become a better and kinder person in the long run.
Here are 5 reasons why practicing self-love cannot be called selfish and is, in fact, good for a person’s mental and spiritual growth:
- You can only love and respect others when you have love for yourself.
An empty pot cannot supply water to other pots. Right? In the same way, a negative person filled with self-doubts and unhappiness can’t love others. If you do not respect yourself, not only will you find it difficult to respect others but will also find it hard to get respect from others. You can only spread love and happiness when you feel good about yourself and self-love teaches you that.
- Self-love makes your a positive person and changes your vibes.
Who doesn’t love a cheerful and positive person? Practicing some self-love can actually be the opposite of selfish as it is good for the people around you. Thinking good about yourself changes your vibes as you begin to exude positivity and avoid negativity. People tend to love positive persons and you attract positivity wherever you go.
- A happy person wishes well for others and inspires them.
Have you ever seen a mean person wishing well for others? You would have not because unhappy and self-hating people tend to project their emotions on others and think bad for them. A happy and self-loving person not only wishes well for others but also inspires them to follow the same thinking.
- Caring for your body and mind is something everybody should learn.
Your body is your temple. When your health fails or mental depression sets in, all your friends and relatives also cannot help you as this is something you need to work on by yourself. They can support you to some extent but a healthy mind and a healthy body only nourish good thoughts and positive feelings so work on it. Go for a walk, eat your favorite ice-cream, listen to some music or indulge your mind in a hobby to keep it feeling healthy and sound.
- You can pursue your passions with intent and create a better life for yourself and others.
One thing that self-love teaches you is to take time out for your passion. Slowly, these small time slots turn into a full-time opportunity and you can pursue your passion as a means of earning also. If you love your work, there will never be another bad work day in your life and you no longer have to work under somebody. This also helps others as you begin to take more and more people under your wings and help them pursue their dreams also.
How self-love can be a form of therapy for people who are recovering from an addiction:
Self-love is not only beneficial for people who do not have any underlying issues. It also serves as a very beneficial form of therapy for people suffering from some type of addiction. People recovering from alcohol addiction can practice self-love to recover from their worst times as it makes you realize that you are doing something great for your body and mind when you are leaving alcohol.
Giving up on an addiction is extremely difficult but pursuing your hobbies and practicing self-belief can help you sail through these tough times without giving in to your temptation.
This therapy also helps you understand that your desire to cut back on alcohol is strong and will help you believe in yourself that you can do it irrespective of how strong the urges are. Taking your mind off the situation by participating in a hobby or working on your body will also help as it promotes self-care and helps you understand your body in a loving way.
Alcohol addiction stems from a nagging self-doubt and stress. Both of these reasons are the main causes behind a person turning to alcohol. Self-love not only eliminates self-doubt and fears that hold you back but also works well in reducing professional and personal stress from your mind.
Practicing self-love as a form of therapy has so many benefits that it cannot be ignored if you want to regain control over your mind and body naturally. Apart from the benefits listed above, self-care and self-love help you get over a negative mindset that can ruin your recovery. It also allows you to explore the other options in life which you have been neglecting due to your addiction. If you start believing that there is nothing better than loving and respecting yourself, you will automatically steer clear from things that destroy your body slowly.
Now that you know how and why self-care and self-love are important and are not at all selfish, here are five ways in which you can practice self-love without being called a selfish person:
- Learn to say no to toxic things & yes to opportunities.
Practice the art of saying no and yes at the right moments. Say no to things can take you away from your well-being and happiness. Cut toxic people out of your life and see how positivity takes over. The flip side of this coin is to say yes to the opportunities that we usually miss due to some reason or the other. These opportunities take you forward in life and help you grow as a person. Also, say yes to things that matter and take your mind off things that might not matter in a few days or years.
- Identify your purpose and live life with an intention.
Have a mission and vision in life. People often take the wrong path when they are disoriented in life and do not have a purpose. A simple way to practice self-love is to follow some goals. These goals might be anything ranging from trying a new musical instrument to buying a house for yourself. Having a goal or a purpose in life can keep your mind away from habits or people that are toxic for you so this is another way to appreciate and love yourself.
- Do the things that you love doing.
If you like to paint, take some time out from your schedule to join an art class. If you like to maintain a good body, join a gym or go for a long walk. Do anything and everything that pleases your mind and body. These small sessions can help you get away from the stress and tensions of daily life and refresh you to take on the next day with more confidence and positivity.
- Indulge your body once in a while.
Give into your temptations and do not be too mean on yourself. There are some people who are very critical of themselves and forget to enjoy life in the process. Eat that ice-cream, take that massage, buy that dress and experience a sense of self-appreciation that you have never felt before.
- Go easy and slow.
Self-love is not something that you learn in a day or a week. It is a style of thinking and living. It is more of a way of life rather than something you learn. Start with some easy ways and after a few weeks and months, your mind will be conditioned to think in that direction without any external efforts.
So these are some of the reasons why practicing self-love is important and how it is the exact opposite of being selfish. It serves as a therapy for people recovering from an addiction and promotes overall well-being and happiness of an individual who practices it. It might feel a little difficult in the beginning to consider yourself as important as you treat others but slowly and steadily, you will begin to feel the difference and experience the newfound positivity and happiness.
