After her divorce, Paula felt very alone and did not have much confidence in herself. She had devoted her entire life to taking care of her husband, children and anyone else who happened along the way.
She did not feel that she was worthy or contributing to the world unless she was giving others what they needed. What she failed to realize is that until you learn to love yourself and gain confidence that you are limiting how much love and devotion you are able to give to another.
In time Paula learned to love herself and her confidence boomed. She was happier than she had ever been.
5 Strategies to Learn to Love Yourself and Gain Confidence:
1) Accept Yourself
To accept yourself is to love yourself. Know that you are human. You have made many mistakes and will make many more in your lifetime. You are human and it is ok to be human. You will experience grief, anger and sadness as well as happiness, joy and laughter. Know that every person that has came into your life and every challenge you have overcome has made you who you are today.
Give yourself permission to feel all of your feelings. Experience them fully. When you begin to experience all of your emotions, you will find that a transformation is taking place inside of you. You will be able to let things go. You will be able to forgive yourself and know that you are perfect just the way you are.
2) Discover Yourself
Dare to be you! What are your likes and dislikes? What have you always wanted to do but have been to afraid to admit? What were your dreams when you were a child? Stare fear in the face and begin to do all the things you have dreamt about.
Go back to school and get that degree that you have always wanted. Learn to paint, cook or play tennis. The world is your playground. Explore what it has to offer you and take advantage of everyopportunity that is there for you. To start doing new things is one of the fastest and easiest ways to gain confidence.
3) Spoil Yourself
Learn to love yourself by nourishing your body and soul. You have expended so much of your energy between taking care of others and the stress of your divorce. Replinshing your energy by getting enough sleep, eating healhy, learning, meditating and playing will get you back on track.
Get a new hairstyle. Many women report they feel as if a huge amount of negativity fell off them when they cut off their long hair. Pamper yourself by getting regular mani-pedis and massages. Relax and learn to receive compliments. Take yourself out to a nice dinner or buy yourself a large boquet of flowers.
4) Love Yourself
Loving yourself means that you give yourself value. Connect with your heart and learn to listen to what it is telling you. Place your hand on your heart, close your eyes and take deep breaths. Bring your awareness to the love emulating from your heart and direct that love towards yourself.
Focus on you – your desires and needs. It is not selfish to say “no,” if it does not fit with your values or if you just need time for yourself. Challenge yourself to look in the mirror and say, “I love you,” to yourself for the next 30 days. You will be amazed at how your confidence has grown and how much better you feel about all aspects of your life.
5) Commit to Yourself
Make a commitment to create a better future for yourself. Decide right now that you will do whatever it takes to get to where you want to be. Decide to lovingly embrace your fears as you step out of your comfort zone.
Get out of your own way by refusing to believe those gremlin thoughts that try to make you believe they are keeping you safe. Treat them as roadblocks and choose to take another route. Remind yourself that you are headed in the right direction.
The more you learn to love yourself the more you will gain confidence. This is when an amazing thing begins to happen. Everyone around you will begin to care for you with the love and respect that you desire. This is because the way you take care of yourself teaches others how to treat you. If you find it difficult to love yourself, speak to a divorce coach who will help you uncover what is blocking you from living the life that you want and deserve.
