Everyone has a different definition of what ‘being there for yourself’ means. For me, it means being in touch with myself and my feelings. It means taking care of myself, pampering myself, being kind, compassionate and loving to myself. It means respecting the needs of my body and soul. It means nourishing my mind with knowledge. It is constant growth and finding new ways of making myself happy and fulfilled from within.
Here’s how I embrace myself and hold space for me.
1. I SAY NO
When I started saying ‘no’ to things and people that were not beneficial to me, my life changed for the better. When I stopped pleasing others, I learned how to take care of myself and started pleasing myself instead. Now, I say ‘no’ to anything that doesn’t feel right to me, and by doing so, I regained my self-esteem. I also became kinder and more loving to myself. Of course, this is not to say that I won’t do things to help others, but I can find a way to do it while also being there for me and supporting my wellbeing.
2. I EMBRACE MY IMPERFECTIONS
It took many years for me to finally realize that the things I hated the most about me, are in fact the things that make me one of a kind. I learned to embrace and love them because they are also a part of me. No one is perfect, so we should all fall in love with all the parts of ourselves because they are all beautiful. We are all beautiful and unique.
3. I LISTEN TO MY HEART
When life gets hard, I make sure to find time for myself and be still. During my alone time, I listen to my heart and follow its guidance. This helps me to stay in touch with myself and never get lost. I observe with kindness and love everything that happens around me and I learn how to embrace it and make the best out of every situation while also taking care of myself and respecting my needs.
4. I HAVE FIRM BOUNDARIES
When I started being more assertive and got accustomed to saying ‘no’ without feeling guilty, my boundaries got firmer. I no longer accept behavior that is not right to me. Now, my boundaries are well defined, meaning, I know what I want and what I deserve, and I won’t accept anything less than that. That is how I stay true to myself.
5. I HAVE NOURISHING AND SUPPORTIVE RITUALS
I promised myself that I will do one nice thing for myself every day and I will check on me every day to see if I am okay. I follow that promise. I give myself all the love and support I need every day. I take care of myself just like I would for a dear friend. I became my own best friend, and I make sure I am pampering me every day. I buy myself flowers, I draw hot baths for me, I buy myself chocolate… I do anything that makes me happy.
6. I AM AUTHENTIC
I am true to myself. I know who I am, and I know my worth. I know my strengths and flaws and I embrace them all. I don’t try to mend with the crowd and become someone else. I love myself as I am and that is what makes me authentic and unique in this world where everyone starts to look the same.
7. I AM BEING A GOOD PARENT TO MYSELF
I have become the greatest parent that every child wants to have. I teach myself to be creative. I motivate myself to learn and explore new things. I test my boundaries. I inspire myself to think outside of the box. I am not controlling, overbearing, or demanding. I am understanding, kind, and extremely supportive. I am the biggest cheerleader I ever had, and I am proud of what I’ve become.
8. I AM NOT ASHAMED TO ASK FOR HELP
When I don’t know something, I am not ashamed to say that and ask for help. Whenever I get stuck with something, I reach for support. That is also my way to be there for myself. Because, we are not destined to live in isolation and in order to be able to hold space for ourselves, we should dare to reach out to other people for guidance and support when we need it.
What about you? What are your ways of being there for yourself?
