Embracing Your Inner Strength: A Journey Towards Self-Love, Self-Care, and Confidence
By Cristin Van Horn
February is love month and so often our entire lives are consumed with romantic love, family love, and even the love of our friends and communities. But what happened to focusing on the most important relationship of all...the one with ourselves! In a world that so often demands we conform to endless standards, finding and embracing our true selves can seem an insurmountable challenge. Yet, the journey towards self-love, self-care, and unwavering confidence is perhaps the most rewarding thing we can DO.
At Jane, we believe in empowering every individual to become the most confident version of themselves, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. This evolution involves a deep dive into practices centered around self-love, self-care, and building an inner confidence that shines from the inside out, touching every aspect (and yes every other relationship) of our lives. So let's jump into how we can get a little more self love, self care, confidence, and self acceptance into each and every day!
Cultivating Self-Love: The Foundation of Your Journey
Self-love has become a bit of a buzzword lately. But it's about more than treating yourself to a spa day or enjoying your favorite treat, it's a deep understanding and acceptance of who you are at your core. It means recognizing your worth, your capabilities, and embracing your imperfections as part of your unique beauty. Loving and accepting yourself entirely can be a lot easier said than done, so here are some ways to help you build a self-love practice:
Affirmations and Positive Self-Talk: Begin each day by affirming your worth with positive statements. "I am enough," "I am worthy of love and respect," and "I am strong" etc. You can literally say them to yourself in the mirror while you are washing your face, writing them down in your journal, or thinking them over again while you make your morning coffee.
Forgive Yourself: Understand that making mistakes is a part of being human. Practice forgiving yourself for past mistakes, acknowledging them as opportunities for growth rather than sources of endless guilt. Accepting your flaws is part of loving yourself fully.
Celebrate Your Wins: No victory is too small. Completing a workout, reaching a personal goal, or simply getting through a tough day are all achievements worth celebrating. Try writing the thing(s) you are proud of at the end of each day.
Implementing Self-Care: A Commitment to Your Well-being
Self-care is the intentional act of caring for our physical, mental, and emotional health. It's a testament to the understanding that in order to pour into others and meet the demands of our lives, we must first ensure our own cup is filled...kinda like putting your own oxygen mask on first. Self-care is so often the first thing to go when we get busy or have a lot of responsibilities to manage. Here are some small ways that you can help to preserve moments to care for yourself:
Create a Ritual: Find activities that nourish your soul and incorporate them into a daily or weekly ritual. Whether it's morning reading, journaling, or a quiet walk, these practices can offer solace and grounding.
Set Boundaries: Learning to say no is a profound form of self-care. Set boundaries around your time and energy to protect your well-being. Remember, saying no to others sometimes means saying yes to yourself.
Connect with Your Body: Engage in activities that make you feel alive in your body *ahem a STEP class at Jane* Whether through dance, exercise, or simply stillness, connecting with your physical self can foster a deeper sense of appreciation and love for your body.
Building Confidence: The Path to Empowering Your True Self
Confidence is a byproduct of self-love and self-care. It’s the vibrant energy that emanates from someone who knows their worth and stands firm in their power, and boy oh boy it is sexy! Cultivating confidence is a journey of recognizing your inner strength and allowing it to shine outwardly, but like most things, it takes constant work! Here are some ways to cultivate a little more confidence:
Embrace Challenges: Step out of your comfort zone and embrace new challenges. Each challenge overcome is a building block in the foundation of your confidence. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward in spite of it.
Visualize Success: Spend time visualizing your successes. Whether it's acing a presentation, mastering a new skill, or achieving a personal goal, visualization can be a powerful tool for building self-assurance and motivation.
Surround Yourself with Positivity: Cultivate a community of peers that uplifts and supports you (anther heyyyy Jane moment) Surrounding yourself with positive influences can significantly impact your self-esteem and confidence levels.
And Last But Not Least...
Practicing Radical Acceptance: A Key to Inner Peace and Resilience
At the heart of self-love, self-care, and confidence lies the practice of radical acceptance—accepting life and ourselves as we are in the present moment, without judgment or resistance. It's about acknowledging our feelings, our circumstances, and our true selves without the need for them to be different. No longer living in the 'what could' or 'should', but rather living in what actually is, can be extremely difficult, especially if you suffer from anxiety or tend to over think things. Living mindfully in the present and accepting things as they are is a game changer, here are some ways to help you DO it even more:
Practice Mindfulness and Awareness: Cultivate a regular mindfulness practice, which is basically just living in the moment. Stop rehearsing the past and planning for the future. Through mindfulness, we can become more aware of our thoughts and feelings and begin to accept our experiences without judgment.
Challenge Negative Thoughts: Recognize when you're caught in a spiral of negative thinking and challenge these thoughts. Ask yourself, "Is this thought helpful? Is it true?" Often, we find that our critical inner voice is not an accurate reflection of reality.
Connect with the Present: Much of our unease comes from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. By connecting with the present moment—through breath, nature, or movement—we can find a sense of peace and acceptance of what is.
As we journey through life, the paths to self-love, self-care, and confidence are ongoing processes of growth, challenge, and discovery. And it should go without saying, that this path is NOT linear! There will be hard times and dark days, but like anything, the more we practice, the stronger and more resilient we will become.
Jane DO champions this journey, and while we love to offer workouts for the body, our hope is that we provide support and empowerment for your soul too! So this February, let's embrace the journey to self love, wholeheartedly and not just half A$$ed.