When was the last time you looked in the mirror and gave yourself a compliment? Finding positive ways to relate to and encourage yourself can be pretty difficult. Maybe you struggle with intrusive or demeaning thoughts about yourself. Or, maybe you just struggle to find the beauty in yourself and your surroundings right now. And that is okay… that pain, stress, and change are justified. But, that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to feel strong, beautiful, and confident. It’s the perfect day to stand in front of your mirror and recognize all the things that make you exceptional … the things that make you, you.
Self-love is a construct that can be quite challenging. We live in a world of comparison to others through social media campaigns as well as movies and television. We spoke to Dr. Teralyn Sell, psychotherapist, and brain health expert, about the mental health benefits of complementing ourselves and practicing reflective self-love. Keep reading for more on how to have a better relationship with yourself!
How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Yourself, According to a Therapist
It’s important to take a moment to reflect on the challenges we’ve overcome and give ourselves some credit. We’ve all been through a lot, and it’s not just about practicing self-love but also about embracing gratitude and showing ourselves grace as we heal. There are always unique mental health challenges that affect our ability to practice self-love and self-appreciation. At times, it can be tough on our self-esteem when opportunities to build mastery or experience a sense of belonging are limited.
The Top 4 Tips on Having a Healthy Relationship with Yourself
1) Focus on your favorite thing
Find something about yourself that you love, or are just okay with, and build from there. For instance, if you enjoy your eye color, focus on that in the mirror and continually tell yourself that you love them.
2) Create a positive mantra and declare it
Write something positive about yourself, or even a small goal, right on your bathroom mirror. As you brush your teeth, repeat the mantra. It can be as simple as “I’m okay.” Once you feel you have that mastered, create a new one.
3) Out with the negative, in with the positive
Whenever you compare yourself to others or find yourself circling the negative rabbit hole about yourself, engage in thought-stopping. This is when you literally catch yourself thinking and then say stop and rework the negative language or say your positive mantra instead.
4) Ditch the mirror altogether and just focus on your thoughts
Honestly, mirrors are tough for many people. They can be quite triggering and demoralizing in some cases. If that is your case, you might want to ditch the mirrors altogether and, instead, focus on keeping a positive mindset through journaling.
