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My Favorite Self-Love Activities

2/23/2020

So usually my blog posts aren't just about me -- but I figured this week, what the hey? And maybe if I share my top favorite self-love creative activities, it might spur some ideas for you too!

Thank you Pho Lemongrass in Brookline!

But first, what is a self-love-creative activity? It's any activity that makes you happy, that you do alone, and is also not mind-altering. In other words, it's not drugs or drinking. It's self-love because you do it and make time for it 'out' of love for yourself. And it's creative because I feel like the term 'self-care' is thrown around a lot and sometimes just conjures up mani-pedis and facials for women, and I want it to be so much more!

Lovely Portland Airbnb!

So without further ado, here is my list of my Top 5 Favorite Self-Love Activities (in no particular order).

1. Baking

Now it would be baking vegan things, but my usual go-tos are chocolate banana bread, blueberry muffins (oh yummm), and pies (when I have more space than I do now). It smells and tastes amazing and makes me feel all is right with the world because all I need to do is follow the recipe and all will turn out A-OK!

Playing with my new stash from awesome Taiwanese stationery store!

2. Reading a delicious romance book

Curled up at home with hot tea and crackers.

3. Sitting in the sauna after a swim

I have a ritual of putting coconut oil on my body (after the chlorinated pool dries it out) and then lying half-asleep in the too-hot sauna room. Again, it makes everything better.

4. Watching the sunset

Since I don't live near a beach now it's not as majestic, but even sometimes catching it on the street in my neighborhood or out the office window it still catches my breath sometimes and I am suddenly reminded the awesomeness of Mother Nature.

5. Getting Vegan Fro-Yo

From the shop across the street from my apartment --- it's a miracle I don't go there every day. It is so delicious, I don't even mind having it in dead of winter: the almond butter drizzle frozen on top of the slushy fro-yo, sweet but not overly so and refreshing all at once.

Notice many of these are very simple and I can do most days. Now come up with your own list of 5! Do one today!

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Regular Acts of Self-Love & Appreciation Are Important

2/16/2020

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In the last post, I talk about the importance of having a foundation of self-love and appreciation. And how we base many things in our lives on top of that. But it's important to have that foundation first.

And just like any muscle it grows by using it regularly.

FIRST:

I'd like you to brainstorm 5 Acts of self-love and appreciation. These are things that make you feel loved and appreciated. Or acts showing love to yourself. How do you show love to you? They can be acts of self-care, wellness, taking care of your body, mind, soul. Maybe it's taking time out for your creative hobbies you usually don't make time for, taking a walk, your favorite form of exercise, baking, etc. Whatever lights up your soul.

Awesome black rice veggie salad from Mother Juice, Boston!

SECOND:

Next I want you to take out your calendar, whatever you use to schedule appointments -- paper or digital, or both!-- and schedule 3 of these things in your calendar for the next month. If you have time to add 5 in there, great. But at a minimum, I want you to add 3 of these acts as appointments in your calendar just like you would a doctor's appointment or going to work.

This is really helpful because then we can mentally prepare ourselves for it (oh yea, I have a knitting appointment with myself next Wednesday) and are less likely to schedule something over it. You can even add a friend to do with you if you like, but it's not necessary. I may even recommend some alone time with yourself with some nice music.

THIRD:

Afterwards, journal about how it went for you. Was it helpful?

P.S. They can be self-care acts or more literal, like writing down self-appreciations on index cards and rotating them on your fridge, one each week.

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Is Self- Love & Appreciation Important?

2/9/2020

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From adorable secondhand bookstore in Gloucester, MA!

Why is our love for ourselves so very important?

Because without this then everything else falls apart. Self-Love is the foundation that everything else is based on.

How do you start a relationship with someone else if you do not love yourself (enough)?

How do you apply and interview for a job or negotiate a salary, if you do not love yourself enough?

How do you set boundaries and not let others walk all over you in all areas of your life -- if you do not love yourself enough?

Basically, life is way harder when you cannot see your own self-worth.

It has taken me a long time to start valuing myself and setting a higher standard in my life. And I want to continue to work on it more and more.

How does one start loving and valuing oneself more?

APPRECIATING oneself is a great way to get started!

From amazing vegan restaurant I found in Beverly, MA! Organic Garden Cafe.

JOURNALING PROMPT:

Take out your journal now, and write down 3 things that you appreciate about yourself right now or this week. You can start with small things. And later, try to build up to things that have nothing to do with what you do (action wise) but just about who you are.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Comment below - how was this journaling exercise? Hard, easy? Do you usually take time to appreciate yourself?

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Self-Love & Appreciation: Happy Almost Valentine's Day!

2/2/2020

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This month of February's theme is LOVE.... in honor of Valentine's Day, as much as it also drives me nuts. But granted, I am also a single individual at the moment, so I will try to take that into consideration.

So --- LOVE. Our mainstream culture likes to emphasize love with a partner, as in a relationship. But there are plenty of other very important kinds of love as well --- for one's parent, grandparent, even pet. I miss my aunt's cat in Taipei very much, for example. It is a real thing. I know those of you with pets feel me.

But this month I want to talk about SELF-LOVE and APPRECIATION. Again, it really is not emphasized or talked about much in our culture. And if you think about it-- it makes perfect sense. Why? We're a capitalist society, driven by profit. How profitable is 'self-love' going to be? Well, except for my journaling workshops of course!

But in all seriousness, how do you sell makeup, fast cars, beer, clothes and more clothes if you already feel good about yourself? Hey, I'm not saying I am above random consumerism myself. (I just bought a second humidifier for my tiny home the other day.)

So --- what is self-love and appreciation? You and I might view it differently and everyone can have their own definition of it. But I see it as loving yourself enough so you don't look to others to 'fill your cup.' And if you do start a relationship with someone you are not depending on them to fill your emotional needs and are aware that that's your own daily responsibility.

Now I certainly believe that one's partner should be communicative and express their feelings and love for you. But your own mood or feelings of insecurity or lack of confidence in areas are mainly up to you to work on. It would be great if they could be supportive while you are doing so. But the work of building oneself up is mainly on us. I believe self-love is a big component of that. And self-appreciation is a good first stepping stone towards self-love.

It's really a much bigger topic I now realize-- oops-- as I write this. And I look forward to getting into it more this month. Suffice it to say, it's easier said than done, but it's worth the journey, and every small step makes a real difference.

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You are the one you have been waiting for.

My Favorite Self-Love Activities

Regular Acts of Self-Love & Appreciation Are Important

Is Self- Love & Appreciation Important?

Self-Love & Appreciation: Happy Almost Valentine's Day!

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