Everyone always talks about the importance of self love but what does that really mean? Waking up and kissing yourself in the mirror? Sure that's a start but I think from my own personal journey it is about holding yourself lovingly through the ugly and the beautiful of your life.
Being vulnerable and honest with yourself and accepting all that you are, all that feel, all that you have done or that has been done to you and loving yourself through it. We all make mistakes, we all fall it's not about spending your life with a black mark next to your name it's about what you do next and how you change the now that heals it.
I spent a long time feeling that I was wrong, who I was was disgusting and unlovable and that I would forever be an epic f*ck up. It wasn't until I started to treat myself like a friend that I started to be able to mentally shift from self loathing towards self loving.
Practicing self care is a loving act just simple things like a cleansing shower, eating proper meal and even just hydrating yourself. I took my son as a great guidance, would I deprive him of these things? Then why should I do it to myself?
This then lead me to search for things I liked and loved, I'd spent my life trying to please others and destroy myself that I no longer knew! Of course this is how I discovered my love for art again and how it actually helped me to action self love I learnt so much about myself through my art journey and still do.
Actioning self love and kindness is not easy especially if you have trained yourself to self punish but it can be done. Baby steps my friends.
Perhaps write a list of things you can start to implement each day small, kind, gentle things that you CAN do for you to show yourself some love!
Create a 2020 for you based on love and start to see your mind shift, it takes practice and patiences but it is worth it.
Post in the comments some ways you plan to action self love, let's get a creative list together!
We are holding our Eating disorders QLD Fundraiser dedicated to one of the teams who helped save my life and taught me a lot about the importance of love.
15th Feb
Dreamcatcher flow art
Tickets available at https://www.apaintersdream.com/events/fundraiser-eating-disorders-qld-dream-catcher-feathers