As mothers, we’re a fiercely loving lot. We love our children of any age and will give endlessly for them– feeding them, changing diapers, staying up all night, driving them around, saving for their future– it’s all part of the job we love the most. Often self-love easily falls through the cracks of our daily routine. There are various forms of love, and in many cases, the most important is self-love. Finding love for the self at the deepest level is what allows us to give and receive love for and from others.
Self-love is easier said than done. Not only do we let go of our physical maintenance, eating well and exercising, but our mental health care, too. Instead, criticism, neglect and self-doubt are things that we tend to practice more often. Thoughts about ourselves can be harsh, toxic and negative. Or maybe when we try to love ourselves, we might even feel guilty.
Practicing yoga strengthens the body-mind connection for tuning into our own needs and releasing tension. Try these poses to help you learn how to love yourself for all that you are and all that you are not:
Knees to chest pose: Start loving yourself with a big hug.
- Lie comfortably on your back and hug your knees to your chest. Let the muscles around your spine relax as you invite your tailbone to rest along the ground. Rock side-to-side if you feel comfortable and relax your shoulders.
- Breathe deep from the belly as you check in with your low back and imagine letting go of guilt and acknowledge your passions.
Benefits: This pose will release your sacrum, ease digestion and give your back body a nice stretch.
Half Lord of the Fishes pose: Out with the old and in with the new as you twist.
- Sitting tall with both legs straight in, cross your right foot over your left thigh and place the sole of the foot on the ground, close to the outside of your knee. Fold your left leg in, with your foot outside your right hip and place your right hand on the floor behind you.
- Lift your left arm high and twist your torso from the navel, as you draw your elbow down on the outside of your right thigh. Keep length in the spine and hug the right thigh in closer to your body.
- Inhale, bringing your awareness to a challenge you face and exhale releasing any tension surrounding that challenge as if wringing out a wet towel. Imagine replacing a negative with a positive thought.
Benefits: This pose also helps to squeeze the stomach, intestines and kidneys. It improves digestion and stretches the shoulders, hips and neck.
King dancer pose: Celebrate yourself as you strike this heart-opening, standing backbend.
- Enter this pose near the end of your sequence, when the muscles are warm and the mind is clear.
- From Mountain pose, step your right foot back. Bend at the knee and pick up the right foot with your right hand. Spin the palm away from you so that the thumb is aligned with the big toe.
- Lift the left arm up, and slowly tilt your chest forward while kicking out the right leg behind you with your gaze straight ahead and soft.
- Imagine how you can soar both on and off the mat.
Benefits: This pose strengthens the back body and the standing leg, and stretches the chest and the hips and will help increase your ability to balance, concentrate
Appreciate and love yourself now, right where you are at. Everything that came before this moment made you the person you are today! Embrace you and watch your life thrive! YOU ROCK!
What do you do for yourself to show self-love? Comment below!
