Welcome to part 4 of the series about Learning How to Love Yourself. In the first article, we explored what gets in the way of self-love, the first step toward practicing self-love, and the 5 Love Languages. In this article, it’s all about how to practice self-love through Receiving Gifts.
Receiving gifts is about allowing yourself to receive a heartfelt, meaningful gift. When it comes to self-love, think about ways to give yourself those thoughtful gifts without waiting for someone else to do it for you.
Receiving Gifts Tip 1: Buy something you love
Regardless of whether you have expensive taste or not, you can buy yourself something you that brings you joy. Start by thinking of items that can last a while and serve as a reminder of love every time you look at them. Next, make a list of all the possible things you could buy for yourself. Then prioritize your list based on whatever criteria feels most appropriate, such as price, how excited you are about the item, etc. Then choose what to buy and when, and make a plan to do that. You may even want to gift wrap it (or have it gift wrapped) to enjoy the full experience of receiving the gift.
Receiving Gifts Tip 2: Make something to show your love
Receiving gifts doesn’t have to cost money or involve purchasing a finished item. You can make things for yourself that show care and love for your own emotional, mental, and physical health. This may involve crafts, scrapbooking, cooking, baking, videos, music, some cool new dance steps, etc. Start by thinking of things you can make that involve time, not money. Then make a list of potential things you could make for yourself. Next pick one thing to make in the next week. Gather all the necessary items to make your creation. Then get to work creating. The gift will be a great reminder of the care you took not only to complete a project but also to plan it out and create it.
Receiving Gifts Tip 3: Give yourself the gift of experience
Just because receiving gifts is your love language doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to involve something tangible. Think of other gifts that are meaningful that will provide the experience of feeling loved. This may include learning new things, meeting new people, visiting new places, or even just spending time with people you already love and care about. The goal is to focus on the experience and memories you are making together.
Tips for Enjoying Gifts:
- Write it down. It’s easier to choose gifts when you have a list of them handy.
- Remind yourself. Schedule giving yourself a gift on your calendar on a regular basis.
- Track how you are feeling. Take note of how you feel before, during, and after giving yourself gifts.
- Check-in regularly. Review your progress and make any changes needed to your new gift-giving habit. Keep doing what’s working, and either modify or stop doing what isn’t.
In other articles, we’ll explore using the other love languages – Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch – to practice self-love.
If you are struggling to love yourself, I’d be happy to provide a consult to see how I might be able to help. You can book that here. For those living in Arizona, I offer individual and group counseling. For those living anywhere, I provide educational, supportive, and experiential wellness services.
