Although you may be a solopreneur or side hustler, you are not running your life and business alone. Your inner critic is often a NOT so silent partner. You know who I mean, that bitchy little voice that says, “you suck,” or “you can’t do that,” or “who the hell do you think YOU are”?
We all know that to be successful, you must be hardworking but also confident and self-assured. But it’s not always easy to love yourself, especially when you’re in the thick of running your business. The truth is that if you don’t learn how to fall in love with yourself and practice self-love daily, you won’t be able to reach your full potential.
It’s time to put your inner bully back into her place and start building a self-love system that works. Because when you love yourself, you can show up confidently in your business, relationships, and life.
Here are some tips to get started.
Tip 1: Acknowledge Your Inner Bully
The first step towards falling in love with yourself is acknowledging your Inner Bully. This means the little voice isn’t going anywhere, but you can learn how to shift it into a more positive space. I attended a workshop years ago on Imposter Syndrome, and we were encouraged to give our Inner Bully a hateful, unattractive name that describes how I feel when she shows up. This helps to take away her power and gives you more control.
When your inner bully shows up – and she will – take a few deep breaths and recognize her for who she is. Call her by name and tell her to get the hell out. Remind yourself that you don’t need to listen to her toxic bullshit and that you can create your own reality and do things on your terms.
Tip 2: Affirm Yourself Every Day
Start each day with positive affirmations and end each day with them too! Tell yourself things like “I am worthy,” “I am strong,” or “I am BADASS.” This will help you start your days off right and end them feeling confident and empowered. You’ll find that these affirmations will become second nature after a while, and you’ll naturally think positively about yourself without having to remind yourself. If you are a member of The JOYFull BadApp, you will also get weekly affirmations to support this healthy habit!
Affirmations are also a powerful protection against your Inner Bully. She hates it when you ignore her!
Tip 3: Stop Comparing Yourself With Others
One of the biggest barriers to loving yourself is comparisonitis. This has been made SO MUCH FUCKING WORSE because of Social Media. You are constantly bombarded with images and messages about how you should look, think and be. It can be hard not to compare yourself to these other bitches when surrounded by such “perfection.”
When you compare yourself with others and find yourself lacking, it will negatively affect your level of self-love. However, this only makes us feel worse about ourselves and does nothing for our self-esteem or confidence. Instead of comparing yourself with others, focus on the things that make you unique and special – even if they seem small or insignificant at first glance! Seriously, YOU ARE BADASS & you need to own that!
Tip 4: Create A Self-Care Plan
Self-care isn’t just bubble baths and mani/pedis (although those are nice too, and I need them regularly). It’s about taking the time each day to do something just for you – whether reading a book, working on a hobby, or even having a dance party by yourself! The point is to carve out some time each day when you can give your mind and body the relaxation it needs without any external pressures or expectations. By taking care of yourself first, you’ll notice an immediate improvement in how much easier it is to fall in love with who you are!
Tip 5: Make Sure to Date Yo’ Self
In addition to making time to do something each day just for you, make some dates with yourself and put them on your calendar. Buy yourself something nice from The JOYFullProductivity Store (or others), take yourself out for lunch or dinner (even if it means eating alone – I bring a book), take a trip somewhere with just yourself — I like to schedule CEO retreats in my travel trailer at the local lakeside campground). Basically, do whatever makes you feel happy and relaxed. It doesn’t have to cost much—sometimes, the best treats are found for free! Go for a walk in nature, listen to your favorite music playlist, read a book—whatever floats your boat!
Tip 6: Get Rid of Toxic People & Surround Yourself with Support
As female entrepreneurs, this can be extra hard sometimes because we have been trained to be selfless and put everyone else’s needs before our own. SCREW THAT! You need love and support too. That’s why you must surround yourself with positive people who encourage you instead of tearing you down. Don’t waste your energy on negative people; instead, focus on building relationships with those who lift you up and support your dreams! This is the community you will find when joining The JOYFull BadAPP! BadAss Nation has your back!
Creating a self-love system doesn’t happen overnight – it takes practice and patience! But if you’re willing to put in the work and make changes where needed, you can learn to fall back in love with yourself again (or maybe even for the first time!). Remember – no one else can love you as much as you could love yourself, so start showing yourself the same level of compassion that you would show your closest friends! You can create a more meaningful self-love system with coaching, resources, and support from The JOYFull BadAPP!
