25 Ways To Learn How To Love Yourself & Be Confident

To be blissfully happy, you must know how to love yourself. In today’s judgemental world, loving yourself can sometimes become a challenge. However, it’s time you let go of the baggage of guilt, resentment, and apprehensions. Always remember that everyone in this world deserves love and respect. Love yourself unconditionally, just the way a mother loves her child.

So, accept yourself with your imperfections and flaws. Look inwards, believe in your abilities, and stay confident. Learn to be kind and forgiving to yourself.

In this article, read the tips on loving yourself.

25 Ways To Love Yourself

Here are a few ways to embrace yourself, enjoy your own company, take it easy, and give yourself reasons to smile.

1. Discover yourself

Invest your time to know who you truly are and what you want. Know these first, value yourself, and accept yourself the way you are. Knowing yourself is at the root of everything you do in your life. Stop developing wrong ideas about yourself and figure out what makes you happy. Whether it is poetry, reading, gardening, or teaching, indulge yourself in something that can help you know your inner self.

2. Understand that no one is perfect

Love yourself as you are and start believing in yourself. The thoughts that you have to be perfect and flawless can stop you from loving yourself. Rather than looking for perfection, enjoy the process of getting over your weaknesses. Embrace your mistakes, as they are a part of what makes you “you.”

3. Avoid people-pleasing

Pleasing people just for the heck of it should never be a part of your agenda. Set boundaries so that you don’t commit to everything that comes onto your plate. Doing too much for people might at times hurt or make you wish for things in return, leading to self-seeking and bothersome thoughts. Remind yourself that you have your own life, and you are not there for people-pleasing. Visualize your goals and commitments rather than being manipulated.

4. Keep your goals on track

Your well-intentioned goals may go for a toss if you don’t have the will, focus, and determination to carry on. Whether it’s traveling, cracking an exam, or becoming a YouTuber, you can make notes and set a timeline to achieve those plans. Focus on your plans and start monitoring your progress to see whether you have reached the next step towards your target. Setting goals can give your life direction and boost your self-confidence.

5. Avoid negativity around you

A wrong attitude, negative thoughts, and unwanted influences can cause problems and spread like an epidemic around you. Avoid bad company or people who devalue you. Welcoming them is like welcoming problems and negativity in your life. Your thoughts, behavior, and feelings unknowingly are affected by their presence.

6. Count your blessings

Did you know that the most difficult person to deal with can be ‘yourself’? At times, our inner selves fail to deal with the many blows life throws at us because we forget to count our blessings and reflect only on what’s missing. Shift your focus to the things you possess with a feeling of gratitude. If you are devastated and have regrets, remember that tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. Count your blessings, and do not rant about your miseries. Look around; you have plenty of reasons to be grateful.

7. Celebrate your achievements

How often do you fail to celebrate the little things while aiming to achieve that big goal that you have in your mind? Jot down your achievements, no matter how small, and your happiness would know no bounds. Start afresh with new thoughts and determination and learn to celebrate every little accomplishment.

8. Develop some new interests

Try your hands at something you always wanted to do as a child. Try out a new hobby, such as cycling, art, or zumba, plan a trip to a destination where you have never been , or do a project that has long been pending on your wish list. Engaging in a new hobby or challenging yourself via new activities can help you reinvent yourself.

9. Take care of your body

Do not feel dejected for being overweight or thin or for those blemishes on your face. Slouching and feeling low, sad, and worthless can make it all worse. Take time to exercise, do some yoga, or try meditation. Also, avoid looking at social media posts of “influencers” and comparing yourself to them. Work on yourself and enjoy the process, no matter the outcome.

10. Schedule photoshoots

Investing your time in photography is something you will cherish now and for years to come. Call your buddies who are keen on capturing photos or getting clicked. Indulge yourself in awesome photo sessions with funky props, accessories, or backgrounds and experiment with different styles, outfits, and places to uplift your mood. Do it consistently, and you will learn to love yourself wholeheartedly as you see how you change over time but remain the same wonderful person you are.

11. Be picky about your companions

Your true friends won’t blame, criticize, or ignore you. Doing activities with such companions will recharge you. Your friends should give you a realization that you are a capable, worthy, talented, and lovable person—because you are! Spend quality time with good friends who will inspire and uplift you.

12. Be different

Comparing yourself to others will adversely affect your mood. Everyone is different and unique, and so are you. Treat yourself in the best way possible, as the grass is always greener on the other side. One can never develop a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment by comparing oneself to others.

13. Embrace rejection

Don’t make it your fundamental need to rise above others or be on top always. Rejection could be about another person’s decision to fix things up. For example, if you are not given a role or promotion at the office, respect the decision that someone else fits the role. Even in a relationship, it is important to forgive, forget, and move on. By pondering something that you cannot bring back, you lose or deny your chance of being happy.

14. Travel solo

Make some changes in the way you have been traveling and see the magic. Put yourself out there to exciting and adventurous places and indulge yourself in some fun, thrill, and much-needed escapade. Getting disconnected from the virtual world, meeting new people, and sightseeing will be fascinating and could also help you explore yourself.

15. Be innovative and creative

Whether it is doing something for animals and plants, going on a safari, indulging yourself in adventure sports, singing, or acting, start doing something that interests you to nurture your brain. Innovate and explore the exciting things that you have long forgotten. It will bring out the best version of you. Whether it is cooking, running, or shopping, pamper yourself and do something that can make you feel happy.

16. Disconnect from your screens

Switching off your gadgets and disconnecting yourself from social media for a while will help you honor the importance of yourself. It will also give you more time to engage yourself in activities that help you experience fun, laughter, joy, and peace. Besides, it will also make you more aware of the present, improve your sleep, and deepen your connection with the people around you. The key is to understand that using your smartphone excessively does more harm than good.

17. Be physically active

A couple of minutes on the treadmill, jogging track, or your gym cycle can lift your mood and make you more productive. You could also go outdoors, take a walk in the park, or do an outdoor activity, such as gardening. The flow of energy can make you feel lively and focused.

18. Declutter

Give away the items that you do not need to charity. Remove all the unnecessary items from your room and kitchen. This will help you freshen up your home and mind, which is often occupied with many things, and allow more clarity to enter your life. Also, block those unnecessary notifications, and delete those crazy memes from your phone that take up a considerable amount of your time.

19. Eat healthily

Don’t fall prey to binge eating as it could bring down your energy level and make you think negatively of yourself after a point in time. Eating junk food gives you relief for a moment but can have negative long-lasting effects. On the other hand, eating right helps you feel healthy and fit, making you feel happy and content.

20. Read books

Books can be your best buddy to guide you on your way to self-care. Every new book is like a new beginning, instilling confidence and self-esteem in you. Books on life lessons, enlightenment, success, dreams, spirituality, divinity, or soul-awakening may lead to an overall relaxed and confident life. Besides, you are building knowledge and learning techniques to bid goodbye to anxiety and stress.

21. Catch up with good buddies

Spend time with positive people and reach out to close friends or childhood buddies. You can evaluate your emotional state pretty well when you are with honest and straightforward people who have your well-being in mind. Even a few hours of fun time with friends once a month would do wonders for you without meddling with your schedule.

22. Sleep well

Having a good night’s sleep should form an important part of your self-care routine. Proper sleep is like therapy for your emotional, physical, and mental well-being. Not grabbing enough sleep or staying up late at night watching movies and web series might increase your stress level. So, get seven to eight hours of sleep every night and you’ll see a significant improvement in your mind and body.

23. Have a pet

A furry friend can be like an ultimate gift to yourself. Animals can play an integral part in your emotional well-being. Also, rearing a pet can boost your mood and make you more responsible.

24. Forget your past

Forget all the past mistakes and wounds and live for the moment by being positive. The past will never return but will keep haunting you to make your life worse. Forget the things that happened to you, and look forward to a better tomorrow. Get out there and do the things that make you happy today. Enjoy the incredible life and take care of yourself.

25. Be organized

Whether it is your closet, handbag, or workstation, tidying it up can help reduce stress. Even a small change can make you feel responsible, thereby giving you a sense of satisfaction and relaxation. Figure out the right places for your books, your laptop, charger, purse, briefcases, and keys, and it will help you start your day better and happier.

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Reviewer

Dr. Caroline HexdallPh.D.

   

Caroline Hexdall, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in North Carolina who has supported the well-being of children, adolescents, parents and families in public university medical settings, public schools, private schools and in independent practice for over 20 years.

Read full bio of Dr. Caroline Hexdall