One of the biggest myths about love is that it has to be something outside of us, when the truth is that we have all the power we need inside ourselves to be able to have this magical feeling.

This love is much greater than romantic love, and it always starts by realising that we are our own source of it. Remember, love is all around.

Anyone who is close to me knows I am quite close to my heart and learned to love myself a long time ago. Was it easy? No, it most definitely wasn’t. I worked extremely hard on myself until, one day, I finally understood that the only way to live a happier and better life was if I accepted my weaknesses and imperfections and forgave myself for the occasional mistakes I made. Here is a list of tips that you could do to boost your love towards yourself.

▪ Give your body, soul, and mind what they desire. Make sure you have some time each day to nourish and pamper yourself and try to meditate on a regular basis.

▪ Learn to say no. Don’t let others use or step all over you. Be smart and set your boundaries.

▪ End toxic relationships and get rid of those people who are just there to criticise you. Surround yourself with those who love you for who you are and support you all the way.

▪ When someone compliments you, don’t start to think about how you can pay back the compliments, but embrace it and say thank you.

▪ You made some mistakes? So what? Learn from them and forgive yourself. No one is perfect. You probably did the best you could have done in any given moment.

▪ Stop the comparison. You are unique, so please understand, you shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone, only to yourself.

▪ You will love yourself more if you see yourself accomplishing what you set out to do. Get out of your comfort zone and try something different. Don’t be afraid to fail. You are much better than you think.

▪ Celebrate your successes, no matter how small or big they are. Never miss an opportunity to give yourself a pat on the shoulder when you accomplish a previously set goal.

▪ Last, but not least, get into the habit of keeping a success and gratitude journal.

I appreciate that practising self-love might be challenging, especially in a time when you need to face some serious challenges. But, believe me when I say that in order to have a healthy and happy life, it is essential.

Smiling can also help. When you smile, people treat you differently. After all, a smile is the prettiest thing we can ever wear!

Did you also know that your smile actually is contagious? Test it!