11 Reminders About What Self-Love Really Means

1. Self-love means that you are honest with yourself.

2. Self-love means asking yourself questions that sometimes are hard to answer.

3. Self-love means that you are constantly taking inventory of your thoughts, for self-reflection is an integral part of growth.

4. Self-love means that you speak to yourself with kindness and care, for the words we tell ourselves are the ones that tend to govern our course.

5. Self-love means that you know what your limits are—that you say “no” without apology, that you stay in on a Friday night to build your dream, that you take that trip that you’ve been dreaming of, that you save your pennies until they amount to the dollars that you need.

6. Self-love means that you stop apologizing for taking up space.

7. Self-love means that you know that there will be people in this world who will try to make you feel small, to tell you that you are supposed to fit into some box, some mold, some version of what they want you to be—and yet you ignore their words and continue to build who you know you are and hope to become. 

8. Self-love means that you carry yourself with dignity and honesty so that you can place your head upon your pillow at night without guilt or regret.

9. Self-love means that you know that sometimes the people you meet will not love you back, but such things do not phase you, for you know that you are worthy of love. You know that you are not everyone’s cup of tea. You know that what others think of you is none of your business and should never be a deterrent to your dreams, too.

10. Self-love means that you permit yourself to change. You are allowed to change when presented with new information. You are entitled to change when you gain a deeper understanding of your soul and the world around you. You are allowed to change your mind about others should they disappoint you. You are entitled to change your dreams, plans, and how you show up in this world daily. 

11. Self-love is owning the truth that your life is your own, and therefore you get to decide whom you love, where you live, what you do for work, and how you spend each minute of your day.