A year of self love

Self-love is an ongoing commitment to finding full acceptance for yourself as you are right now. The more you practice self-love, the more freedom you have to be who you really are, and the less you need to try and fit in, change, or fix yourself. It’s a practice of understanding that right now you’re whole and perfect just as you are.
This month we are exploring what it means to protect your energy and the impact of the relationships you have with other people. Not just relationships in the romantic sense (although that counts too), but all the people you have in your circle. We’ll be delving into the importance of surrounding yourself with a positive tribe that can lift you higher, encourage and inspire you, rather than hanging around with people that drain you and pull you down.
The famous Jim Rohn quote, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with” suggests that if you spend a lot of time with people that don’t inspire you and hold you back, you can bet that their behaviours will start to rub off on you too.
Spending time with those who you can be your true self with, who are in line with what you want for your own life is an act of self-love. Protecting your energy, so you have the appropriate boundaries to let go of toxic relationships and only welcome in positive ones, is an act of self-love.

Because all of these require you to put yourself and your needs first and ask: which relationships are going to be the most nourishing for me and will make me feel good?
To spot if you have any draining relationships, make an audit of the friends you have that always want to talk about their problems, but don’t have as much time to listen to your issues. Notice which people you have in your circle that complain all the time, and always find the negative in every situation.
Check in if anyone has toxic or addictive habits that are influencing you, making you consider doing things you know aren’t in line with your values. And ask yourself: are these people adding value to my life?
If the answer is no, it may be time to let them go.
Start to let go of the relationships that feel like a lot of effort, that feel one sided, that make you feel exhausted once you’ve finished seeing them.
This then creates space to welcome in more people that will have a positive influence on your life. The more people you have around you that can support you to be you, the more space you will have to flourish as the incredible person you are.

Sabi Kerr is a yoga teacher and life coach. It’s her passion to support people in developing deep levels of self-love, so that they can move forwards and create their fullest lives (sabikerr.com)