13 Signs You Know How to Love Yourself

It is easy to imagine how much we love a family, partner, or friend. In fact, it is so easy to have these feelings for someone else that we often forget how important it is to love ourselves too. There is a huge difference between someone who loves themselves and someone who does not. Do you know which type of person you are? Do you feel loved and understood or do you live with yourself thinking that you don't deserve to love and be loved? Here are 13 signs you know how to love yourself:

You Speak Your Mind

When you can tell others what you think, you show that you value your own thoughts. You understand your opinions are important, and you have confidence in your ideas. Letting others see what is going on in your mind means you know that what you have to say matters. You appreciate that no one else thinks as you do, and that means you have self-worth. The higher your self-worth is, the more you will naturally say, “I love myself,” so keep speaking your truth.

You Practice Self-Care

Self-care is important to de-stress and manage the negativity around you. Everyone who practices self-care has their own unique method of doing so. But not everyone realizes how important it is to have that time to themselves. If you take vacations or spa days or spend a few minutes meditating or reading your favorite book, you are already taking advantage of just some of the ways self-care is possible. Your ability to unwind means you understand the role balance plays in your life, and your commitment to keeping a clear mind means you definitely prioritize your overall well-being.

You Set Boundaries

If you love yourself, you know where to draw the line between what serves you and what does not. Maybe you refuse to work on weekends or do not answer the phone for anyone after 8:00 p.m. Suppose you know when to say “no” to people, obligations, or the ideas of others because it brings you more peace—congratulations, you have mastered a very difficult skill. Self-love requires you to know how much you can handle. Your insight into your limits means you believe you should put yourself first sometimes.

Your Health Matters

Trying unique ways to practice self-love is not something that happens only in your mind or heart. Eating right, exercising, living a healthy lifestyle, and taking care of your body are all signs that you know you matter. Caring for your physical health can ward off illness and help you achieve long, fulfilling life. The fact that you go out of your way to stay strong means you know you are worth nothing but the best every single day. You only get one body, and when you treat it like the most important thing you own, you love yourself.

Your Brain Does Too

Mental illness can creep up without much notice, but you know that mental health care is not just for people who have a certain diagnosis if you love yourself. If you see no shame in sitting with a licensed mental health professional during times of change, challenge, or struggle, you have a realistic sense of what you can handle. Your ability to advocate for yourself through different stages in life means you know you are greater than your obstacles.

You Do Not Sway Easily

People who lack self-love often let the ideas or opinions of others shape their beliefs about the world around them or, worse, about themselves. But what about you? Do you live by what you think is right? If so, you are already ahead of the game. Standing your ground and committing to your morals shows that you have a high amount of self-respect. Your regard for yourself is proof you do not tolerate anything that makes you feel less valuable than you know you are.

You Avoid Black And White Thinking

Black and white thinking is something that we all do. It is the type of thinking that leads us to believe that everything will be a disaster if something goes wrong. Or, if we fail in some way, we will never have success again. But if you know how to choose love for yourself, you quickly remember that the world is not that simple.

The universe does not work with such rigid rules. In fact, as someone with high levels of self-love, you understand that the things you do and think or that the things that happen to you do not define you (especially in such a small box). You see that you can live without limits proves that you believe you have unlimited potential.

You Care About Your Future

If you can see that what you do today will matter tomorrow, you have high self-love. If you are always planning for tomorrow, you know it’s just as important to show up for yourself then as it is to be there for yourself now. Being good at saving money or creating goals to work toward are just ways you show that you care about what happens to you in the future. Appreciating what you have today while always setting yourself up for “someday success” is a skill everyone needs.

You Invest In Yourself

Do you take opportunities to advance your career? Do you further your education? If you can value who you are today but know that you have not yet reached your full potential, you can be sure this is because of self-love. With self-love, growth opportunities are not bad things; they are a chance to be a bigger, better version of you. Don’t we always want to see our loved ones succeed simply because we love them and want what is best for them? It is the same concept, just for you.

You Feel Your Emotions

Do you let yourself feel all your emotions? Happiness? Sadness? Anger? Guilt? Most people do not. They automatically think of emotions as either “good” or “bad” and do everything they can to avoid the “bad” ones. But if you have self-love, you let yourself feel everything at full capacity. This is because you know that is what your mind and heart need to maintain your emotional health.

Giving yourself the gift of working through all your emotions means you realize no “bad” part of who you are. You know that nothing lasts forever and that your self-love will triumph over any temporary negative experience.

You Follow Your Passions

Self-love requires you to put yourself first sometimes. If there is something that speaks to you, and you are brave enough to follow it, you prove that you have what it takes to show up for yourself. Think of how difficult it would be to see the most important person in your life not follow their dreams, especially if you knew they were fully capable of achieving them if they applied themselves. Like they say, “love thy neighbor as thyself.”

If you love yourself, you do not want that same pain coming from within. Being bold enough to reach out and get what you want means you know your dreams are important and that missed opportunities will not serve you well.

You Choose To Be Happy

Bad things happen all around us every single day. But, if you love yourself, you wake up every day and choose to see the positive. You find reasons to be grateful for all the wonderful things around you and go out of your way to spread joy to others. Your happiness comes from within and is not dependent on other people or things that reflect an even higher level of self-love. Happiness feels good, and your commitment to finding it for yourself every day means that you know you deserve all the good the world has to offer. All the more reason to love yourself.

You Treat Yourself

We are always quick to treat our loved ones to something special. This echoes the idea that it is important to love your neighbor as you love yourself (not always more). Do you go on vacation? Buy yourself the thing you have been wanting? Do you splurge on you from time to time? It is hard not to think of spending something extra on yourself as a selfish act, but you know there is a difference between selfishness and self-love because you truly value yourself.

Rewarding yourself simply for being you means that deep down, you see how important you really are.

Conclusion

There is a huge difference between someone who realizes how important it is for them to say, “I love me” (and actually does it) and someone who does not take the time to do so. Loving yourself matters because it leads to a more confident, fulfilling life. Suppose you see these signs lacking in your life. Make a change today! A licensed counselor—such as those offered through Regain—can help you get on the fast track to self-love right away. Like Justin Bieber’s song says, you should go and love yourself.

Counselor Reviews

“I don’t know what I would have done without Harry. I was in a super low place, and I was not sure what my problems were or how to solve them, but he was able to help me get to the bottom of my problems and work through them. Today I am happy and feeling like myself again. He was so easy to talk to and worked with me whenever I needed him. Even on vacation he took time to call me and talk through whatever I was going through. I would highly recommend him.”

“My experience with Priscilla has been immensely helpful in better understanding myself and providing me with the tools to see my life and relationships with more clarity and compassion.”