Fall In Love with Yourself

We women are notoriously hard on ourselves.  It’s easy to criticize our body for that little love handle around the waist, or the slightly too large legs, or the wobbly chin that gravity pulls on after 50.  What would it look like if we began to genuinely accept and even love ourselves? 

It seems like there’s no better time to begin to love ourselves than the month of February, with Valentine’s Day at its center.  This past month I led a Sugar Detox to rid subscribers of the grip of holiday indulgences. (Sugar is addictive, as many of you know.) 

Eighty-seven percent of the participants said they noticed changes in their body and their mood, including fewer aches, better sleep, fewer cravings and a lighter mood.  While it’s not easy to go cold turkey away from sugar, the results were clear.  We feel better without sugar.

But then there’s a need for comfort.  Physiologically sugar lights up the pleasure center in the brain.  Who doesn’t want that to happen?  So to fully support our group, I included menu items that have a sweetness to them: fruit and sweet vegetables.  This helps the physiological cravings, but something for the emotional side is necessary too so we feel loved and comforted.

Bring Sweetness to your life.

 Finding ways to bring a sense of sweetness to your life is a perfect recipe for learning to love yourself.   Here are a few techniques:

1. Ask for or give a sweet hug to someone, and give yourself one too.
2. Call or zoom someone you love and have a good chat.
3. Do a kindness for someone - you may have noticed it lights up your pleasure center.
4. Send Valentines - you’ll be happy you did.
5. Buy yourself some flowers - beautiful ones.
6. Take a warm soak in the tub - make it a ceremony with candles and essential oils.
7. Give yourself a facial with your favorite products.
8. Give yourself a foot massage - oooh, yes!
9. Do a gentle body brush, being mindful and appreciative of all your body does for you.
10. Listen to your favorite music

I’ll bet you have more ideas now that you’re thinking of sweetness in different ways.   The important thing is to establish routines and habits that reinforce your belief that you are special, that you are perfect just as you are.  With that belief as a baseline your actions will support that notion and you will take better care of yourself.  It’s not your weight or having a perfect body that makes you special and lovable. Loving and respecting yourself is the most attractive quality of all.  

Peg Doyle has been helping women over 50 change their eating for the better for nearly 21 years, She helps you identify your goals and supports you with accountability but no judgment.

Visit WellnessandYou.com to connect with Peg