Vitamin L: Loving You for You

This month we have celebrated love through a series of posts dedicated to the most important nutrient for your health and wellbeing, Vitamin L. We've covered romantic love, family, friendship, and even the love for your pets, and now we turn to the most fundamental source of love in your life: yourself. 

Oscar Wilde said, "To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance," and we couldn't agree more! Loving yourself promotes confidence and fulfillment, and enables you to have deep, meaningful connections with others.

For many in the health and wellness sphere, self-love is tied to how we perceive our bodies. Criticism of our own figure can drown out positivity and leave us feeling undeserving. This perspective can make it hard to reach our goals, in life and in love.

Loving yourself is about embracing all there is about you, strengths and weaknesses and all. The combination is what makes all of us so unique.

So make this decision today: fall in love with yourself.

Easier said than done, right? Start by thinking about three things you love about yourself. Pick anything from your baby blue eyes to your generosity, sense of humor, or mad kitchen skills. Write them down, and carry them with you.

Then approach your day with radiance. Wear something that makes you feel healthy and beautiful. Thank your body for its strength and agility. Accept compliments with grace and add their sentiment to your list. You may just find yourself glowing.

"When we love ourselves unconditionally, we can be happy and feel in love no matter who is or isn’t sleeping next to us," says Arielle Fierman, an IIN grad and founder of Be Well with Arielle jeWELLry and Health Coaching. Her handcrafted jewelry line, iloveme, features pieces that are beautiful, wearable reminders that you are worthy of your love.

Self-love doesn't come overnight, and it takes practice. If your internal critic flares up, take out your list, breathe deeply, and remind yourself that you are, in fact, awesome. Yes, you are.