The pursuit of happiness, an ever seemingly unachievable goal, is one journey that every human being makes, whether we are aware of it or not.
Why We Get Used To Being Unhappy?
We live in a time when everyone is seeking validation, to feel that they matter.
Therefore, we find that it becomes very easy to slip into depression when it appears that things aren’t exactly going as planned: our new colleagues at the office aren’t exactly thrilled about us, our parents seem to have other favorites, no one is particularly interested in being friends with us…
These are just a few kinds of thoughts that rummage the minds of the average individual, and these are the thoughts that fester long enough to form a belief which ultimately forms a reality, which is: Nobody loves me!
When people go around thinking that they are not loved, what usually happens is that they begin to experience exactly that, a deficiency of love: one which is sponsored from within.
Today so many people are trying to combat depression by putting on the mantra of self-love, which has been adopted in mainstream and social media as the act of portraying oneself in such a light where they appear to be in total love with themselves and not care about anyone else’s opinion.
While this may work to sell the illusion of self-love, it is often quite misleading because self-love is so much more than that. Self-love isn’t the act of trying to convince ourselves that we are awesome and have no worries, it is a deep emotional state of acknowledging and accepting ourselves for who we are, strength and weakness combined.
The fastest way to enjoy the love and affection of those around us is to first genuinely love ourselves, and this comes from a place of being at peace with who we are.
Why Self-Love Is That Important?
The act of practicing self-love is crucial in many ways: firstly, it will help us live a happier, more healthy life, it will enable us to develop genuine relationships with friends, colleagues and family, and also serve as a pathway to self-awareness and discovery. Many people today are unhappy because they judge themselves too much: they are too critical about their mistakes.
This is understandable because the natural desire of every human being is to excel, hence we always want to stand out. This can tend to perfectionism as we always want to get things right, so sometimes when we disappoint a friend or drop the ball at work, we ultimately condemn ourselves and subconsciously lower our self-esteem.
This is why self-love is so important because it gives us a baseline of positive and graceful feelings towards ourselves. This attitude gives us the courage to recognize our flaws and take the steps needed to improve from within. When we become at peace with our true nature, we are able to accept the results that arise from our actions and not blame ourselves for the things that go wrong with us. Self-love will help us live a healthier life and also develop quality relationships around us. People are naturally attracted to others who emit a positive vibe, and we can only do that when we find inner peace.
What Is Self-Awareness?
Above all, attaining self-love enables us to chart the part to an even higher level of consciousness, which is self-awareness. While self-love tries to regulate how we feel about ourselves, self-awareness helps us understand what we are feeling and why we feel that way. This is a higher level of self-mastery as people who attain self-awareness are usually in control of their actions and reactions. Self-awareness is understanding the fact that our actions are triggered by certain emotions and being deliberate about how to handle those emotions.
Self-awareness is a trait that leaders aspire to because this means that they are able to keep a clear head when everyone else is losing it. Have you ever found yourself react so strongly to something and not even understand why you’re so darn mad? That’s a clear scenario of a lack of self-awareness.
The more we become aware of our emotions and desires, the more control we can exercise over them. Some people have been known to take decisions in the heat of the moment which they regret for the longest time, this again, is simply down to a lack of self-awareness. With self-awareness, we understand why we do the things we do and our likely reactions to certain events.
According to the World Health Organization, As of 2017, 300 million people around the world had depression. It is estimated that 15% of the adult population will experience depression at some point in their lifetime. Depression has also been known to be one of the key drivers of suicide among young and old people. This all buttresses the need for people to find true self-love, as a remedy to depression.
5 Ways Of Practicing Self-Love To Help You Live A Happier Life:
- Always be ourselves
It is always tempting to join the crowd, especially when we are desperate to blend into a new environment. But resist the urge to do so. Many people have lost themselves in the process of making the wrong friends or living in a neighborhood that doesn’t suit them. Do exactly the things that make us feel good and comfortable without seeking the validation of others.
- Never compare ourselves with others
There will always be someone more intelligent, better looking or more accomplished than we are. The secret of self-content is in accepting that we are just perfect the way we are. There will never be another us, and only we can do the things we do. So take pride in the little things that we do really well, and appreciate the things that others do better.
- Celebrate our wins
No matter how small, congratulate ourselves for the small wins. Whether it’s a successful job interview or a big business contract, never underplay our achievements. Give ourselves a pat on the back for every successful endeavor and relish in the fruit of our labor. This is important to keep our morale high in times when there’s no one cheering us on.
- Follow our passion
There is no better way to practice self-love than to do the things that give our soul joy. If we feel like our job is making us miserable, then it’s about time to start considering a change in career. Don’t be afraid to go after the things we love, even if it might draw ridicule from friends and associates. At the end of the day, it is our mental state of wellbeing that is of paramount importance.
- Be mindful of our thoughts
The feel-good factor of doing the things we love and celebrating our wins can be transient, therefore it is always important to keep our mind in a positive state. Some days are going to be cloudy, therefore, we need to constantly condition our mind and guard our thoughts jealously to prevent negativity from creeping in.
The journey to self-awareness can be a revealing and fulfilling experience. We get to discover so much about ourselves that we begin to own our flaws and accept our weaknesses while improving our self-confidence significantly. On the other end of doubt, a world of life-changing discoveries await…
The Destiny Team