Connecting To Yourself

You may not be aware of it, but the relationship that you have with yourself dictates everything in your life. It shapes the way you manage relationships, deal with colleagues, and even how you sleep at night.

Let's take a look at how improving your connection to yourself can make you a happier and more fulfilled individual.

How do you go about improving your connection to yourself?

Well, you begin by taking your beliefs, feelings, and goals seriously. Then, you have to realize that your imperfections and strengths are two sides of the same coin. They coexist to make up the person you are today.

It’s important to remember that no one in the world knows what it’s like to be you. This is why you have to be your own best friend. Learn to show yourself empathy and self-compassion.

Start with these 5 techniques.

Understand Your Likes and Dislikes

Knowing what you like and don’t like is the definition of self-acceptance. It also means that you don’t change the way you live or the way you do certain things to please other people. Allow yourself to be truly seen for who you are—good and bad.

That can be hard at times. Our society conditions us to live by other people’s rules, which leads us to believe this is the only way to fit in and be accepted.

Realizing that we’re all different means accepting your individuality. Understanding your likes and dislikes is a big part of that.

Once you know those, then you can do more of what makes you happy.

Be Kind to Yourself   

We can be our own worst enemies. We constantly criticize our imperfections without mercy.

Our weight usually tops the list. But there are other things we obsess over as well, like the shape of our nose or the bags under our eyes.

Why not try something different for a change? The next time you look in the mirror, find one thing you appreciate about yourself. Praise yourself and show gratitude for them.

We’re not saying this will be easy. In fact, you may not even think of anything in the beginning to be thankful for.

But don’t worry. With daily practice, you’ll be able to make a list of all those things that make you beautiful and unique.

What about those other things you don’t like? Learn to accept them. They’re still part of what makes you the special and unique person you are.

Listen to Yourself

When something feels off, pay attention to what your gut is telling you. Even if it’s difficult, uncomfortable, or goes against what others are telling you.

Let yourself feel and get comfortable with your emotions and beliefs. When you listen to what your body and gut are telling you, you’ll feel inner peace and a sense of belonging.

After a while, you’ll get better at understanding your body’s cues and signals. Only then can you start improving your connection to yourself.

Establish Good Habits

Setting up healthy habits is a sure way to improve your relationship with yourself. Start from when you first wake up in the morning all the way to when you go to sleep.

Some of these habits include:

• Journaling
• Write down positive affirmations
• Exercise regularly
• Actively plan healthy, well-balanced meals
• Practice mindful meditation
• Smile more often

Cultivate Encouraging Behavior

Many of us have an all-or-nothing attitude. We decide to do something then as soon as we start to fall back, we call it quits!

Perfectionism gets you in this vicious cycle of self-blame and negativity.  To avoid this toxic cycle, begin by accepting you’re not perfect. You will mess up and your day won’t always go the way you planned it. That’s okay.

Let’s say you set up a goal of going to the gym five times a week for an hour. The first week goes as you planned, but the second week, you miss a day (or two!)

You can do one of two things: call the whole thing off or you can pick up where you left off. If, by week three, you feel that five days is too much, tone it down a bit. Maybe go for half an hour instead of a full 60 minutes.

This doesn’t have to just apply to exercise. It can also apply to your diet, sleep, and work goals. Show yourself some love and encouragement and do the work. Everything else will follow through.

Having good self-esteem strengthens your sense of self. It’s one of the best ways to develop a healthy relationship with yourself and, ultimately, with others. Each of the five techniques aims at improving your connection to yourself. That should be your number one priority.

By practicing them daily, they can boost our self-confidence and help us stay grounded. As a result, we’re able to form a strong, well-balanced connection to ourselves. Only then can we start living in alignment with who we truly are.