Welcome to part 5 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 Acts of Service.
Acts of service is about doing something concrete and following through with what you say you are going to do. When it comes to self-love, think about what actions you can take to match your words and intentions.
Acts of Service Tip 1: Do something nice for yourself
It’s often the small things that can make a big difference. Think of little things you really enjoy that make your life easier. These don’t have to be huge. They can be things like cleaning the dishes, filling up the gas tank, washing (and folding) the laundry, etc. While it may feel wonderful when others do these things, you can also gain a sense of the warm fuzzies when you do these for yourself. Think of it in terms of “putting those big girl pants on” and being the adult you need to be to have the life you love. Make a list of all the things that make your life a bit easier. Then choose one thing to commit to doing today.
Acts of Service Tip 2: Take care of your body
Taking care of your body is a great way to show yourself some love. Think of it in terms of regular maintenance. What does your body need to function well? Hydration, nutrition, movement, fresh air. Also check ups – physical, dental, mental, and emotional health. Start by thinking of all the things you already do to take care of your body. Make a list. Then assess if there are any areas you could step it up a little. Next, make a commitment to do one new thing or change one existing thing you area already doing. Then monitor how that is working. Add or modify only one thing at a time so you don’t overwhelm yourself.
Acts of Service Tip 3: Organize your environment
A cluttered environment leads to a cluttered mind. While not everyone loves doing the work to organize, most people love the outcome of being organized. It’s easier to find things. You know where things go. And you know what things you actually have, use, and what you could probably let go of. This can be a big task, so to make it easier, focus on one thing at a time. Maybe you start with a drawer or a shelf or a pile. Figure out what you want to keep, what you can give away, and what you can throw away. Then get to it. Use timers to stay on track. Put things for trash in the trash bin. Get things you are giving away in your car (and make a plan to drop them off wherever they are going). Then put away all the things you’ll be keeping.
Tips for Acts of Service
- Write it down. You are likely to forget what acts of service are most meaningful for you. So, write a list and keep it handy.
- Remind yourself. Set timers on your device. Post notes where you can see them.
- Schedule it. Acts of service can be easy to set aside. Write things down on your calendar so that they become a part of your routine.
- Fire up the pep talk. Sometimes acts of service aren’t the “fun” things. Remind yourself that while these acts may not be things that are fun to do in the moment, they things that will promote your goal of self-care and self-love ten times over.
- Check-in regularly. Review your progress and make any changes needed to your acts of services routines.
In other articles, we’ll explore using the other love languages – Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, 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.
