Self-love may be thought of as selfish or narcissistic, but how can we take care of and love others if we can’t love ourselves first?  When we love ourselves, we nourish our body, mind and spirit to be the best version of ourselves, and in turn can love and nourish others.  Self-love is a defined as having appreciation and regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.  Self-love grows from actions that support physical, emotional and spiritual growth.  Self-Care and Self-Love go hand in hand.  When you take care of yourself, you are loving yourself.  There are countless ways to practice self-love, here are 10 ideas on how you can practice loving  your amazing Self!​

 1.      Eating healthy is definitely a way of loving yourself and loving your body! By eating nourishing foods,                you are providing your body with optimal nutrition! 
2.      Take time out for yourself for yoga,  meditation and relaxation.  Calm your mind and stay in tune with                yourself and your intentions.
3.      Exercise to fuel your body and give you energy.  Whether you need a vigorous workout or a walk in the           park, move your body!
4.      Follow your passions and do what you love. Give your energy to people and things that make you                       happy.
5.      Practice daily gratitude. Create daily rituals to remember all that you are grateful for.
6.      Set boundaries, and learn to say no to activities and situations that cause extra stress on you.
7.      Forgive yourself.  Live in the present and move on from any past mistakes and regrets.
8.      Don’t compare yourself to others. Enjoy who you are and your own special gifts.
9.      In a negative rut? Make a list of all of your strengths and accomplishments to lift you up!
10.  As I learned from Louise Hay’s mirror work for creating self-love, look in the mirror and repeat                            affirmations, telling yourself how much you love yourself! Why not give it a try!​

​We have all heard that the key to happiness is gratitude, right?!  I recently was having a stressful month and had a lot of anxiety in every area of my life! I reached out to a good friend and she said, “Take a deep breath and start writing down what you are grateful for and WHY you are grateful for it!”   Sometimes when we are so stressed out, it’s hard to take a second and remember what we are grateful for.  I knew this is what I should be doing, and I was grateful that she reminded me how important it was!

Why is this practice of expressing gratitude so important?  
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It’s simple, Gratitude = Happiness! We all want happiness in our lives, right?! Below are three proven psychology exercises that increase happiness levels, providing results just after one week.  Try all three exercises and notice how they affect your mindset, and ultimately, your actions.

​A favorite family gratitude activity that we started is a gratitude chain! Teaching kids at a young age to express their gratitude is so important. We usually do this project in November but why not do one every month? We cut out leaf shapes and every day we write down what we are thankful for. We then tie the leaves to a string and love watching our chain grow throughout the month. You could also use a poster board or large sheet of paper and every day each family member writes what they are thankful for.  

Another simple idea is just writing down 5 things that you grateful for. You could write them in a journal, type or write them into your calendar or in a daily notebook. Just try it for a month and see the positive changes that will take place!
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Why not start today?! What are you grateful for?