People/society often talk about loving yourself as complimenting yourself, doing things you enjoy, counting your blessings, etc. I obviously agree this is all very important, but self-care and self-love is also more than that, and it is an ongoing and continual process.

Loving yourself is allowing yourself to be in a thriving/positive environment (if possible). It's surrounding yourself with people that uplift + accept you. Letting go of those that insult you, ignore you, make you question your self-worth, and/or refuse to communicate/compromise

Loving yourself is also recognizing what you deserve and not accepting less.

Loving yourself is communicating your needs and knowing you deserve to have those needs met. This is your life and at the end of the day, you deserve to enjoy it as much as you possibly can.

I feel like this usually comes after we've started to accept/appreciate our own strengths and weaknesses and have enough courage, so it may feel far-fetched sometimes...But it's not a race so go at your own pace Don't be hard on yourself either.

I'll admit, I'm not quite there yet. I have a lot to work on to fully love myself. I guess this thread moreso represents the mindset I'd like to achieve some time in the future. But I'm able to recognize that even though they are small, I've made steps in the right direction.

Sometimes I take a few steps back, and that's ok too. That's normal, and that's life. But I think there is an overall net improvement. I hope/wish the same for everyone else tooI also hope you give yourself a pat on the back for your progress, no matter how small it may seem

All this is way harder (or may not apply) when there are mental health issues,trauma,or deep-rooted beliefs/self-esteem issues.I don't want to minimize that. A mental health professional may be better equipped and can help individualize + optimize + assist the process for you

This is just my perspective on it and reflects my personal experiences. I hope it doesn't offend or downplay anyone else's experiences or struggles