From Us to You with Love
BY TOYIA PETERS, LCSW
February 2021 | Issue No. 2
Aww, the feeling of love. Isn't this what so many of us are all searching for in some capacity? To either be in love or to have someone love you unconditionally. While love is a topic that some may think about in passing, it may also be a topic that some of us may think about often. Regardless of whichever applies to you, February seems to be the month that makes us focus on the meaning of love just a little bit more. Whether we are thinking about the love we have, want or lost...it's on our minds.
When we think of being in love, we generally think of this euphoric and intoxicating feeling like you are elevated and floating on cloud nine. Some may also think about love as that feeling of excitement and exhilaration that comes as you anticipate seeing your loved one after a long day of work or a short trip. Or we may even think of love as that “sweep you off your feet” feeling. But, I wonder, when we think about love, do we ever think about self-love and what that means without guilt or the need to explain to someone why we do what we do for ourselves.
So the term self-love, means exactly as it sounds. It’s loving yourself for who you are, by accepting your flaws and imperfections, the mistakes you’ve made and reaffirming the ways in which you have evolved. It’s knowing you are a gem and holding yourself to high standards for your own safety, well-being, health and happiness. To love yourself means that you will adopt the mindset of elevating yourself because you know you are worthy.
For many people, especially women, adopting a self-love mindset can be challenging because many of us were taught that prioritizing yourself or your needs is selfish, and your focus should not be on what you can do for yourself but what you can do for others. While there is nothing wrong with giving and sharing yourself with others, it’s important to set boundaries, nourish our senses and indulge from time to time in some self-care. When we practice this behavior, it allows us to restore our energy therefore giving way to allowing YOU to become your best self. And who doesn’t’ want that…to be your best self and live your best life?
So, what does it mean to practice self-care and self-love? Beyond setting boundaries and nourishing your senses, it’s also offering yourself the same respect and care you give to others to yourself. It’s making a conscious effort to treat your body as a temple by giving it the appropriate amount of rest, eating healthy and mindfully as well as exercising (this doesn’t have to be strenuous but just enough to get your heart pumping). It’s ditching the negative mental dialogue that plays in your head and replacing it with positive self-talk and kindness towards yourself. It’s creating an environment for yourself in which you can make mistakes, learn from them and flourish. It’s doing things that feed your soul and energize the spirit…it’s that four letter word---LOVE.
For 2021, what can you commit to enhancing your practice of self-love and self-care? In the midst of this pandemic, many of us are feeling depleted and out of sorts so this is the perfect time to adopt a regular self-care regimen. How about also treating yourself to some happy mail or a monthly experience just for you. If this peaks your interest, stay tuned…all our experiences are about the exploration of self, self-love, self-care and self-acceptance.
