“You, yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” ~Buddha

You are an individual who deserves love and respect from others.

More importantly, though, is the love and respect you give to yourself.

By giving yourself the self-love that you deserve, you are making an effort to make your world and your life a better place.

Here are 5 / 10 ways to improve self-love in your daily life:

5) Get in touch with your emotions and body

Embrace the way you feel, think, and believe. Sometimes your thoughts and feelings may be illogical, but they are valid. Find ways to get in touch with yourself and learn new ways to handle when times are tough and celebrate when times are good. Pay attention to how your body feels in relation to your emotions and keep ways to relax yourself in mind.

6) Avoid negativity and toxic relationships

The more supportive and loving your environment is, the better you will thrive. Rid yourself of relationships that cause you emotional pain. Find the people that bring you joy and unconditional love. You deserve to love yourself and have others love you as well. You deserve the best.

7) Remember that there are people who love you

There is not a single person in the world who does not have at least one person loving them. When times are tough think of your friends, your family, or your religious or spiritual figure (if that’s your cup of tea) and remember that they are there to support you.

8) Practice being your authentic self

Life gets a lot tougher if you pretend to be someone you aren’t. Don’t claim you like or don’t like something when you feel the opposite. Embrace who you are, how you act, and what you think. It may take time and filtering of people, but through being your personal expression you are able to make stronger and more wonderful connections than if you weren’t staying true to yourself.

9) Allow time for self-care and self-growth

It is not selfish to take time to take care of yourself. If you’re overwhelmed, sad, anxious, etc., allow yourself time to feel those emotions and then allow yourself recovery time. Nobody has a right to make you feel like your self-care is not important.

10)  Do the things that make you feel happy

“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” ~Jean Shinoda Bolen

It’s very simple; do what makes you happy. Choose to take the initiative to treat yourself to food you like, activities you enjoy, and the people that bring you joy. Find those little things you live for, and make them a part of your daily life.