Top 10 Self-Care and Self-Love Resources
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The rush of pink and white hearts and lovey messages that come with Valentine’s Day is now over. Some may be reminiscent of this time, and others may be more than happy it’s gone. However, whether or not you are a fan of Valentine’s Day and the “love month” that is February, one thing is for sure: cultivating self-love and self-care is important all year round.
Self-love and self-care are related to each other but have a few differences. Self-love is the notion of having appreciation and compassion for yourself, no matter what your circumstances are. There will always be things you don’t like about yourself, whether physical, intrinsic, or both. You may wish you were taller or had different colored hair, or that you were more outgoing and able to make friends easier, for example. Whatever your hang-up about yourself is, self-love is a sense of acceptance for all your insecurities while remaining grateful and appreciative of the fact that you are you.
Self-care comes from self-love and is the practice of treating your mind and body with kindness through actions. Because you appreciate the things your body does for you, like simply allowing you to breathe, see, and touch the world around you, you care for it to make sure it’s the healthiest it can be. This can include actions like exercising regularly and eating healthy foods (as much as possible) or can entail actions that take care of your mind, like practicing meditation or going to therapy.
Self-love and self-care may sound easy on paper, but in actuality, can be quite difficult for many people [1]. You may feel caught up in your insecurities and opt for a mindset that asks yourself, “Why bother?” when it comes to caring for yourself. Plus, life gets busy, and you may feel like you simply don’t have the time to sit down and think of reasons to love yourself, or take a relaxing bubble bath just to care for yourself. Although this concern is prevalent among many people, self-love and self-care are endlessly important for maintaining your mental and physical health. Studies have shown that individuals who report having a strong sense of self-love have decreased levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness, as well as increased levels of support and encouragement [2]. Additionally, a decrease in anxiety and stress is linked to better immune system functioning, which explains why practicing self-love and self-care can lead to better physical health [3].
Feeling like you may want to try cultivating more self-love and practicing self-care, but don’t know exactly where to start? We’ve got you. See below for a list of the top 10 resources for self-love and self-care!
1. Self Explore, Self Restore: A Guided Self-Care Journal Created to Support Your Relationship with Yourself by G. Michelle White
This journal will be your BFF when it comes to your journey to self-love. It is filled with questions and exercises that will help you understand the way you tick, appreciate your uniqueness, and treat yourself with the kindness and compassion you deserve.
2. Mindful Messages Positive Affirmations Meditation Self-Care Cards
These small and portable cards (about the size of a playing card deck) are like little notes of encouragement and love, for when you feel down, or every day. They remind you to be kind to yourself, repeat affirmations of love, and take care of your mental and emotional well-being. For maximum effect, take 5 minutes every morning or night to draw a few of these cards and repeat the affirmation to yourself out loud. In time, you’ll start training your mind to believe them, making yourself more confident.
3. The Self-Love Workbook: A Life-Changing Guide to Boost Self-Esteem, Recognize Your Worth and Find Genuine Happiness by Dr. Shainna Ali
This workbook is one of our favorites and cheers you on as you work on building up your self-esteem and find contentment within yourself. It contains practical advice and exercises for knowing your worth and aligning your actions with a mindset of self-love and appreciation.
Learning more about yourself and your emotional patterns is part of caring for yourself. By tracking your moods in a journal like this one, you can easily see patterns in the way you are feeling and may be able to make connections with habits that are not serving you. For example, if you find that your mood is negative on days you hang out with a particular friend, you may begin to realize that this friend may be causing you to feel insecure, drained, or unhappy. The opposite of this can also be true—maybe you find that you feel extra happy and energized on days during which you go for a run. By tracking your moods, you know which actions to continue, or not continue, to maximize positive feelings and minimize negative ones.
5. Your Body Is Not an Apology Workbook: Tools for Living Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
So many of us feel insecure about our physical appearance. According to a survey conducted in 2019, over ⅓ of participants felt negatively about their body or appearance [4]. This workbook may help. This book guides you through exercises that challenge negative body image and encourage you to treat your body with kindness and acceptance. After all, you only get one!
6. Natural Silk Sleep Mask, Blindfold
Sleep is an integral part of self-care. Getting an appropriate amount of sleep is vital for keeping your mental and physical health in check. This sleep mask helps you block out distractions and get a good night’s sleep. It is an easy way to practice self-care and prioritize your health by giving your body the chance to rest without being bothered after a long day.
7. The Self-Compassion Skills Workbook: A 14-Day Plan to Transform Your Relationship with Yourself by Tim Desmond LMFT
This workbook is all about being kinder to yourself. It is perfect for individuals who struggle with negative self-talk or poor self-esteem. The workbook provides gentle guidance on how to cultivate self-compassion and transform the relationship you have with yourself.
8. I Am Here Now: A Creative Mindfulness Guide and Journal by The Mindfulness Project
Mindfulness is an amazing practice for those who struggle with their mental health. This guide is filled with fun and engaging activities that help you stay present, reduce stress, and connect with yourself on a deep and personal level.
9. All Purpose 1/2-Inch Extra Thick High Density Anti-Tear Exercise Yoga Mat
Yoga is a great way to get your body moving, reduce stress, and even practice mindfulness. This yoga mat provides a comfortable surface for exercise, allowing you to practice self-care and prioritize your physical health.
10. The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People by Elizabeth Wagele and Renee Baron
Understanding yourself and the way your mind works and perceives the world around you can help you become more compassionate towards it. The Enneagram personality test is a great way to learn more about yourself and is based on the idea that everyone’s personality falls into 1 of 9 categories. Learning about the way your type receives and processes information can give you more insight into your mind, and help you love it even more.
And there you have it! We hope you feel inclined to check out some of these resources and that they help you cultivate self-love and practice the self-care your body and mind deserve!
To discuss how therapy could help you during this season of your life, please contact me or schedule your free 15 minute consultation.
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