Practical Ways to Practice Self-Love

February is commonly known as the month of love, where kids pass out Valentine’s Day cards, couples spend romantic evenings together, and candy lines the shelves of every grocery store. However, the manufactured feeling of love often falls short of our expectations. We give so much and extend ourselves so far for others. Where does self-love fit in?

This February, challenge yourself to move past the status quo of consumer culture love. Instead of feeling pressured into spending to show others you love them or neglecting yourself to put others first, use this month as a reminder to love yourself.

Self-Love Looks Like Self-Control

But what does self-love actually look like? Many can picture the perfect spa day or a relaxing day on a beach without a care in the world, but where do you fit self-love into your everyday life?

Self-love is purposeful preventative care to maintain your most healthy self. You practice self-care before you feel the burnout of overwork or the financial crisis of giving “enough” instead of after a problem. In a sense, self-love is really self-control. It is the ability to prioritize yourself by saying no to feeling not enough or the pressure of FOMO in the moment so that you can say yes to yourself in the future.

Creating a Healthy Relationship With Money: Countering Consumer Culture With Self-Love

Self-love is just as much about dealing with financial stress in a healthy way as it is about more glamorous routines. You are a human being with complex emotions and needs. And while it is perfectly okay to prioritize the glamorous things, it is also essential to check in with your routines and make sure you base them on feeling “enough,” not a response to consumer culture or the fear of missing out.

Our routines should add to our lives and contribute to our health. In a world of constant ads and bombarding marketing, it’s easy to slip into self-care routines like they are something we should do or only want to do in the moment. Instead, focus on things you know you want to do because they will add long-term value to your life.

Practical Ways to Practice Self-Love In Your Daily Life

Practicing self-love is an art, and your version won’t look like everybody else’s. While your practical application may vary, many categories unite us all in the need to take care of ourselves. Most people think of their health when it comes to self-love, but finances and mindset often get overlooked. Prioritize all areas of your life when loving yourself by adding small, practical habits to your self-love routine.

For example, you can practice self-love by saying no to an impulse purchase and putting the money in a savings account toward your future vacation or retirement instead. You can use a value-based budget to change your perspective on your money and prioritize the things in your life that matter most. You can work with a money coach or build money mindset exercises that help you practice self-love in your finances. You can practice self-love in the small, value-based decisions you make every single day.

Try a Mindful Walking Meditation

Self-love doesn’t need to be expensive. In fact, most can practice self-love right where you are, right now, for free. Try this simple walking meditation inspired by Dr. Jamie Marich’s work at the Institute for Creative Mindfulness:

Steps for Mindful Walking:

1. Start with mindfulness of where you look. Keep your gaze ahead instead of down at your feet.
2. Think about walking as if you were a new beginner and break the steps of walking down into slow motion.
3. Stand straight and tall. Pull your shoulders back and stretch your spine. Find your balance.
4. Step forward and let your heel connect with the earth below you and point your toes toward the sky above.
5. Slowly step down while you shift your weight from your heel to the ball of your foot.
6. Deliberately shift the weight from the ball of your foot to your toes.
7. Repeat the same purposeful motion with the other foot.
8. Continue walking in the same purposeful way, and focus on observing each sensation with present awareness.

You can walk mindfully inside or outside, and you can walk for as long as you like. But walk with the true intention of staying in present awareness. Even a short daily walk can help you prioritize yourself regularly by creating a regular habit to quiet your mind in stress. A ten-minute walk could help you prevent crushing feelings of burnout or overwork later. Building the discipline to stick to your healthy habit is an act of self-love. The more you can prioritize truly taking yourself, the more joy you’ll find in then taking care of others.

If you want to learn more about dealing with financial stress as a solopreneur, or need help talking about financial stress in your relationship, I’d love to hear from you. You can book a free consultation with me to discuss your path to financial freedom, a more purposeful life, and a healthier relationship with money.

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