Welcome back to our July blog series on self-care and self-love. Last week, we redefined self-care as something simple, accessible, and meaningful—not just spa days and bubble baths.
This week, let’s talk about self-love—and why it doesn’t mean waking up every day feeling like a rockstar version of yourself.
Self-Love Gets Misrepresented
You’ve probably seen the phrase “love yourself” splashed across social media with perfect selfies and polished affirmations. But here’s the truth:
Self-love isn’t about perfection. It’s about compassion.
It’s not:
- Always feeling confident
- Loving every part of your body or personality
- Pretending everything is great
It is:
- Showing yourself kindness when you mess up
- Taking care of your body with movement, nourishment, and rest
- Talking to yourself with the same respect you'd give a friend
You Can Love Yourself and Still Have Hard Days
You can be practicing self-love and still:
- Feel insecure sometimes
- Wish things were different
- Struggle with your habits or progress
That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re human.
Self-love shows up in how you respond to those moments—not in whether you avoid them.
Acts of Self-Love You Might Not Recognize as Such
Sometimes the most powerful expressions of self-love are the quietest:
- Unfollowing social media accounts that make you feel less
- Saying no to plans because you need rest
- Choosing a balanced meal
- Letting yourself feel disappointment without judging it
- Doing the workout… or skipping it because you need recovery
These aren’t always glamorous or hashtag-worthy. But they’re real.
You Deserve Your Own Support
Think of someone you deeply care about. If they were having a bad day or feeling down about themselves, how would you respond?
Chances are, you wouldn’t tell them to suck it up or point out all their flaws. You’d meet them with compassion.
That’s what self-love looks like, too.
Even if you don’t feel great about yourself today, you can still treat yourself like someone who matters. Because you do.
💬 Coming Next:
We’re talking boundaries next week—because protecting your time, energy, and well-being is a form of self-care too.
