Everyday… love yourself.

Not when you have time, or when you aren’t too busy with the others in your life. Everyday.

Why?

Why not?

You are the single person you can count on for your life. Your body needs to be taken care of – physically, mentally, and emotionally. In order to care for others, do a great job at work, and kickass in life, you need to take care of yourself first. You need to love yourself. Be happy with who you are, and allow yourself the opportunity to get to know who you actually are. Become your own friend. Take yourself out on a date.

Recently I had a day to myself, and I thought – I have no plans. No one is really around. What should I do? I knew I needed to decompress and I wasn’t sure what to do in this “large city” but I knew I didn’t necessarily need a friend to go have fun and explore it. So I put on my gym clothes and set out for the gym and figured I could see what happens after. Instead I kept walking. And walking. I was taking in my neighborhood, and stopped by a local neighborhood bookstore with an iced tea. Something about bookstores just calms me, even if I don’t get anything. Realizing I was hungry, I tried looking for a not too crowded place, where I could feel comfortable eating alone. It shouldn’t really matter where, but I knew some places would be more comfortable than others. I found an upscale pub where where there was some outdoor seating and scooted on in. There were only a few people there as it was still early for lunch and I was able to grab a perfect seat for people watching. Ordering myself a fun cocktail, some oysters (and then more oysters), and topping it off with a little lobster and butter. Indulgent, perhaps. Perfect…definitely. I sat there, texting with a few friends, catching up on email and social media while enjoying my neighborhood. I saw some folks a little jealous of my lunch and even the waiter was impressed on my date. As I left and walked back to my hood, I wandered in and out of stores I hadn’t yet explored. And allowed myself a nap, and a movie. It was relaxing, not productive, but yet very productive, because it allowed me to realize I do enjoy my own company. I like time to devote to myself and allowing myself to feel refreshed and ready to tackle life.

There are a few things we can do each day and week to love ourselves a little more.

• Grab a meal alone
• Take a walk in the neighborhood
• Find a hobby that you and can do on your own each week – like volunteering, a class, or as simple as going to the gym
• Commit to a date with yourself once a month
• Give yourself space to unwind each day – even 10 minutes to do what you love doing (even if it’s just checking instagram)
• Just Breathe

#radiatedaily

Image source: mercola