3 daily exercises to improve your self-love skills

Could you benefit from being nicer to yourself? Throughout the day, we devote a substantial amount of energy expressing empathy, compassion, and love to those who mean the most in our lives. We write words of encouragement on cards, compliment a friend’s new outfit, call to check in, and listen patiently to those in need.

And yet, many of us rarely show these acts of kindness to ourselves. Rather, we tend to be our own harshest critic. This ultimately robs us of feeling fulfilled, happy, and at peace in our skin.

Now more than ever, it’s important to establish ways in which you can be more self-compassionate. Cultivating this life-improving skill extends far beyond just feeling happier. Nurturing and accepting yourself is the foundation for better health, stronger relationships, greater self-esteem, and motivation for making healthier choices.

Try these three exercises to help strengthen your self-love skills.

Daily exercise strengthens your heart, builds lung endurance, squashes stress, and reduces the risk of getting deadly diseases. The purpose of working out is to enhance our quality of life. And although this should be motivation enough, society has minimized these monumental benefits by overvaluing the superficial advantages of aerobics, instead, such as being skinny or resembling celebrity influencers who look like they do only with the help of pricey personal chefs, fitness trainers, make-up artists, and photo manipulation.

Trying to keep up with these unhealthy, unrealistic expectations can make us feel inferior and unworthy — especially for younger adults during their developmental years. Exercise should be empowering and a celebration of all that your body can achieve. You cannot look good on the outside unless you feel good on the inside. Refocus your fitness goals from lowering the numbers on the scale or trying to be like others to a deeper purpose, such as feeling stronger and healthier. Only then will exercise seem to be a blessing, rather than a burden.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, one easy way to tame tension is by learning better breathing techniques.

Breathing is both a voluntary and involuntary function. Our body automatically controls this life-sustaining process throughout the day. However, the quality of our breathing is totally up to us. When we experience stress, our body reacts by inhaling shorter, more-rapid breaths that fill the chest rather than the belly. When this occurs, we hyperventilate. This triggers a series of scary symptoms, such as light-headedness, tingling, and chest tightness. It can cause panic attacks and make us feel unwell.

By mastering the art of breathing, we can better manage these symptoms before they start, or even in the middle of a stressful situation. To do this, dedicate five minutes a day to practicing the following relaxation exercise. Just like any workout, it takes daily reps to strengthen this skill.

Looking in the mirror or working out at an unfamiliar gym, we can become our own worst enemy with self-talk that stems from shame or blame such as, “I’m fat,” or “You’re stupid to think you could fit in here.” It’s like being your own bully.

In these moments we must stop and ask ourselves, “How would we treat a friend in the same situation?” Chances are, you’d never speak in such a cruel tone. You’d be patient, understanding, and brainstorm ways to resolve the problem.

For this exercise, jot down five traits you’d desire in a friend. Review your answers, and moving forward, make these attributes your new tone for self-talk.

The most important relationship you will ever be in is the one you have with yourself.

Ashley Blake Greenblatt is a certified personal trainer and wellness coach in South Jersey. Learn more about her virtual training program at ashleyblakefitness.com.