9 Ways to Practice Daily Self-Love

Practicing self-love doesn’t have to start or end in a certain month or time of year. When it comes to lasting health and wellbeing, it all boils down to what you do today to cultivate self-love in the long run. Contrary to popular belief, practicing self-love isn’t a selfish act, rather, it is a way to fill up your cup so you can pour into the people you love and activities you care about.

But we get it. Life can feel busy and prioritizing nourishing self-care can feel overwhelming or out of reach at times. Bubble baths and buying yourself flowers aren’t always accessible. But there are small yet impactful self-care practices you can do on a busy day when you’re strapped for time, or only have a few moments to relax.

1. Take 5 minutes to intentionally breath

Breathe in and breathe out. Studies show that taking just five minutes to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths can dramatically reduce feelings of stress¹. If all you have is a few minutes to calm feelings of stress and tension, deep breathing is one of the most accessible ways to do that.

For on-the-go stress support, we love to put two full droppers of Take the Edge Off™ directly onto the tongue. The tension-soothing nervine herbs in the formula are a perfect match for a 5-minute or less de-stressing routine with deep breathing.

2. Express gratitude to yourself

We can often thank others for the things they do for us. Perhaps someone opened the door for you or gave you a wonderful gift. But when was the last time you thanked yourself? You can thank yourself for waking up on time today, being prepared for a meeting, or for setting boundaries. In your head or out loud, thank yourself for doing what was right for you and your wellbeing today.

3. Look in the mirror and compliment yourself

Mel Robbins, a popular self-help guru, often starts her day by looking into the mirror and complimenting herself. She compliments her eyes, smiles at her wrinkles, and generally pumps herself up in the mirror before her daily cup of coffee. This self-love practice is a form of positive self-talk and can be done in the bathroom at work or first thing in the morning. According to the Mayo Clinic, positive self-talk has been associated with an increased life span, greater resistance to illness, and better physical health².

4. Nourish your body

One of the most foundational things you can do to encourage self-love is to consume food and drinks that nourish your body, not hurt it. One way to nourish your body is to reduce your alcohol consumption. Several studies have shown the detrimental effects of alcohol like weakening the immune system, interfering with mood and memory, and negatively impacting the body’s inflammatory response³. Fortunately, there are healthier alternatives to alcohol and stress reduction.

We have herbal alcohol alternative tinctures like Take the Edge Off™, Wine Down , Rosé-Tinted Glasses™, and Never Been Bitter™ that do the opposite of alcohol and help lower stress, boost the mood, support the immune system and promote a healthy inflammatory response. Herbal tinctures are wonderful additions to a healthy lifestyle to help nourish your body with potent plants straight from Mother Nature.

5. Take a walk

Walking outside is more than just a relaxing activity, it’s a crucial part of living a healthier, longer life. This simple act has total body benefits. According to Harvard Medical School, walking has been shown to help reduce weight, tame sugar cravings, and even ease joint discomfort⁴.

One of our favorite formulas to pair with a nice walk is Claim to Flame™. This herbal formula contains turmeric, ginger, and black pepper which, in combination, help support the body’s natural inflammatory response and help ease joint discomfort even more. A cozy Claim to Flame™ latte with a slow walk around the neighborhood is #goals on a Sunday afternoon.

6. Listen to music

Music is one of the most relaxing tools humanity has ever created. Every culture on the planet has a history of sound from musical instruments and utilizing music to connect with others and promote happiness. Recent studies have affirmed the same phenomenon that cultures around the world have known for centuries: music is stress-reducing⁵. A casual walk listening to music can help lower stress levels and promote more introspection, self-love, and a great appreciation for life.

7. Try something new

Self-love inspires self-confidence and one of the best ways to build your self-confidence is by doing “hard things” or trying something new. Trying new things requires you to step outside of your comfort zone which has positive benefits on your confidence, brain, and self-love⁶.

Start a new hobby, travel to a new place, or walk away from a job or relationship that no longer serves you. Trying something new can be the first step towards a total life transformation that moves you towards a healthier lifestyle, more rewarding relationships, and a renewed sense of self-love and worth.

8. Talk to someone you love

In our digital world, we can often feel disconnected from others or feel as though a digital barrier is separating us. But self-love often can be informed by our relationship with others. As social creatures, humans need other beings to be reflections of our inner selves and be sounding boards for our place, identity, and relationship to the outside world. That’s why it’s important to talk to someone you love at least once a day.

Whether it’s a friend, parent, romantic partner, or your pet, being in a relationship with another being who deeply cares for you and your wellbeing can be a nourishing emotional experience. When we feel connected, seen, and understood by others, our cup can feel full of self-love and belonging.

10. Ignore your phone for an hour

While technology can be a place of learning and connection, it can also pull us away from being present with those we love and activities we care about. A radical act of self-love can be to put down the phone and make the choice to be here and now. Ask yourself, if you had one extra hour in your day, how would you spend it?

Reducing your telephone time means you can do activities that truly fulfill you like getting back into making art, working out, or spending time with people who matter to you. We love spending extra time in our day whipping up herbal formulas that make us feel good inside and out. We have tons of herbal recipes that you can try during your hour away from your phone that feature potent formulas that nourish the skin, give you more energy, and help you sleep like a baby.

Conclusion

While we may not have every hour of the day free to take a bubble bath and go for a run, we can carve out five minutes or an hour to support our self-care with daily practices like the ones mentioned above. When we make self-love a practice, more positive practices follow. Our potent herbal formulas are fantastic additions to your self-love routine. Whether you’re looking to naturally boost your skin health with You Dew You® or nourish the gut microbiome with Never Been Bitter™, our Clinical Herbalist-crafted formulas are here to support your journey to more balance, ease, and self-love.