5 Tips for Self-Love in 2015

I know… it’s not always easy to be loving toward ourselves.  

Just the other day, I was in a storm of doubtful thoughts about my place in life. My birthday is coming up, and I really wanted to be in a positive space for the celebration of my life!  Finally I broke through the clouds and thought, HEY! I wanna be on MY TEAM!  

Like, no more self-sabotaging, self-limiting beliefs or actions.  

Whatever scary, uncertain thoughts we have about our futures…they are merely thoughts. Not truth. Not reality. And if we cut them out right from the start, they don’t gain power and momentum by being repeated in our minds day in and day out.

Yes, thoughts are super powerful.  We can also take actions that support positive thinking, feeling great, and truly loving ourselves. So here are my 5 tips for self-love in 2015:

1) Journal often-  Omg. Writing stuff down is so powerful. If you’ve never journaled before, start. If you’ve journaled but you don’t make it a habit, step your game up.  I try to journal every morning, especially if I’m stressed out or have a lot of kooky thoughts going on. And what, you might ask, should we journal about? Anything on your mind!  I write down dreams I had, worries I’m stewing about, plans and to-do lists, hopes and dreams, anything that’s keeping my head in the clouds and out of the present moment.  The powerful part is, when you write something down, you can release it from within. Your mind can cleanse itself of all the gunk and you can be aware and present for your amazing, fun, and beautiful life.

2) Be alone- For some of us, this is actually uncomfortable and a little scary! And for others of us, it seems impossible to get some space for ourselves with all of the busyness of life. But it’s ohhh so important. You have to get comfortable with the skin you’re in and get to know yourself without the distraction of others. Alone time is when you can process your emotions, daydream about the empowered steps you’re going to take on your path, and, —this is a BIG one— connect to your higher guidance and wisdom. Your intuition speaks when you slow down, quiet yourself, make space, & listen. Mmmmm. Even if it’s a few minutes when you wake up or before bed, find that time to go within and nurture your inner being. 

3) Think positively- Yikes, I know this can be so tricky. We’ve all got a thousand voices in our heads with all kinds of opinions, fears, and worries. But once we step back and witness all the chatter, we see that these thoughts are taking us out of the present moment, which is the only time & place where we can actually LIVE and do anything about our issues and struggles!  Practice this:  notice yourself thinking a negative, self-limiting thought and say firmly in your mind, “Cancel that thought!”  Take a deep breath and then reach for a higher thought. Replace it with something more spacious and hopeful.
      Example:  Negative thought- “No one has signed up for my meditation meetup!  I must be no good at this, and I’m never meant to succeed at being a yoga-meditation entrepreneur.”  (True story)
                      Higher thought-  ”I trust that whatever happens is in my highest good. I believe in myself and my abilities.  All is well.”

4) Forgive yourself-  We aaaallllll make mistakes. And really they are perfect little mistakes that help us grow and find our way back to our souls. Let everything you’ve ever done wrong GO. Right now. Let it go.  Free up your energy to live in the present and take empowered actions toward the life you want to live. My cute little suggestion:  give yourself a pet name. I started calling myself “Monkey” when I need a nurturing little pat on the back.  In my head I’ll say, “It’s okay, Monkey. I love you and you’re doing a great job. Keep going!”  It has saved me from some dark and heavy days.

5) Breathe- You’re thinking, Ha! Already got that one covered- thanks lungs.  I meant… breathe deeply, consciously, lovingly.  This is truly the most powerful thing on this list because it can transform your energy, your mood, and your thought process in an instant!  Practice taking 3 deep breaths when you’re upset and see how different you feel. Take 3 deep breaths in between bites of food and notice that you won’t overeat.  Take 3 deep breaths when you wake up and welcome the life force energy into your being to start the day!  IT’S MAGICAL YOU GUYS.


I hope this simple, yet profound list will help you fall in love with yourself this year. At the end of the day, you are the only beautiful thing you’ve got. Be in love with the person you are. Be love.
Gia xoxo

​2-23-15

Photo Credit: Noval Goya via Flickr