How to Cultivate Self-Love
Repeat after me…
I am enough.
I am perfect just the way I am.
I deserve to be happy.
I allow myself to receive.
I am open to abundance, joy and ease.
Everything works out for me.
These words were extremely difficult for me to say the first time I tried.
When my Success Coach presented me with the idea of a “loving kindness mirror exercise”, I was hesitant. She challenged me to go look in the mirror every day, actually look myself in the eyes and say those words.
I am enough. I am perfect just the way I am.
And then I was told to look at myself in the mirror to actually say "I love you"…to myself.
Truthfully, I could barely even look myself in the eyes, let alone say those words!
It was much harder than I thought. For the first time, I consciously realized that there was another voice in my head saying things like, "You're not. You're no good, you're broken. You're evil. Nobody loves you. You're not worthy. You're not worthy of real love." And as I would try to say loving words to myself that voice got louder and louder and louder and I believed it over my own true voice.
Do you ever Feel that way?
Like there someone inside of you telling you that you're not good enough…Someone that seems powerful and believable?
Through years of therapy and introspection, and by doing exercises like the mirror exercise, what I've come to discover is that that voice isn't mine.
That voice is leftover residue from the people and circumstances that influenced me as a child. That voice was my own shame. My own misunderstanding, my own guilt over the choices I've made. The things I've done, and the circumstances I'd found myself in.
This is where a loving kindness practice comes in.
See, the truth is, most of us extend QUITE a bit of grace, empathy and understanding to others. Most of us work to forgive those who hurt us, heal, repair relationships and understand why people do the things they do. We put in the time and energy to wrap our heads around the fact that other people aren’t perfect.
But most of us do NOT extend that same grace, empathy and understanding to ourselves!!
Did you make bad decisions? Did you mess up? Did you waste time, quit something, make an embarrassing mistake? Well, guess what? This is your opportunity to look at yourself as a flawed and ever-growing human being and say…
That you’re worthy.
That you are capable of great change.
That you deserve love.
That life doesn’t have to be hard.
That everything works out for you.
That is what loving kindness is all about!
Now it's not always easy, and I'm certainly not perfect at it. But over time I've begun to understand why I made the choices I did, and what wounds I was actually trying to cover up. The more I understand the situations I was in, the more I see myself as a multi-dimensional person. It has become easier to look in the mirror and say those affirming words to myself and to give myself compassion and understanding to truly, truly know that I am enough. I am perfect. And that I do truly love myself.
I invite you to give it a try!
The next time you look yourself in the mirror really look at yourself in the eyes and say something kind.
Say the affirmations above while looking yourself in the eyes, in the mirror. Work through the discomfort and look at yourself as the beautiful person you are.
And if you need a little self-love boost, try my Self-Love Oil Protocol!
Arin’s Self-love Essential Oil Protocol:
Over the Heart:
doTERRA Whisper blend + Jasmine
Apply 1 drop doTERRA Whisper blend with 3 drops Jasmine over your heart. Whisper blend is created with floral oils and vanilla bean absolute. It’s sweet but powerful. Jasmine is fantastic for self-love! Floral oils are perfect for opening the heart chakra and allowing yourself to receive love.
Over your Belly:
doTERRA Grapefruit
Pour 3-4 drops of Grapefruit essential oil into your palm and rub it into your belly. If you have sensitive skin, dilute just 1 drop of Grapefruit with a teaspoon of liquid )fractionated) coconut oil instead! Grapefruit is the oil of honoring the body. Use this oil when you’re feeling self-conscious and need a boost of self-love.
On your Feet:
doTERRA Douglas Fir
Massage 3-4 drops of Douglas Fir oil into the bottoms of your feet. Douglas Fir is the oil of generational wisdom! Applying this oil on your feet can help ground you in your deeply-rooted, ancestral power.
Click HERE to get the Oils and become a doTERRA Member! You’ll get 25% percent off everything doTERRA as a Wholesale customer. Be sure to join my Facebook Community to learn about using essential oils for your health and everyday wellness, and ask your questions! I am here to support you.