After sharing some of my story over the last few days, I've been thinking about what self-love actually means to me today.
Not what it looked like years ago.
Not what I thought it was supposed to look like.
But what it looks like right now.
And you know what I've realized?
Sometimes self-love looks surprisingly ordinary.
For me, today, self-love means making my doctor's appointments—and keeping them.
It means putting my health on the calendar and treating those appointments like they matter.
Because they do.
I do.
Taking Care of Me
There was a time when taking care of everyone else came naturally to me.
Being a mom.
Working.
Going to school.
Taking care of responsibilities.
Doing what needed to be done.
But somewhere along the way, I had to learn that I couldn't keep putting myself at the bottom of the list.
My health deserves a place on that list, too.
So today, when I schedule an appointment, I don't look at it as an inconvenience.
I don't tell myself I'll get around to it later.
I don't put it off because something else came up.
I make the appointment.
And then I show up.
That's self-love.
It may not look glamorous.
There may not be candles or bubble baths involved.
There may not even be anything particularly enjoyable about sitting in a doctor's office.
But there is something incredibly powerful about making a decision that says:
“My life and my well-being are worth my attention.”
I'm Still Learning
I wish I could tell you that I've mastered self-love.
I haven't.
I'm still learning.
I'm still learning to listen to my body.
I'm still learning to recognize when I need to slow down.
I'm still learning that taking care of myself isn't something I should feel guilty about.
And I'm still learning that self-love isn't something you say once and suddenly have figured out.
It's a choice you make over and over again.
Sometimes it's saying no.
Sometimes it's resting.
Sometimes it's asking for help.
And sometimes it's simply making an appointment and showing up for yourself.
That's where I am today.
I'm choosing me.
I'm taking care of me.
I'm paying attention to me.
And I'm learning that I don't have to wait until something is wrong to decide that my health matters.
Giving Myself Permission to Care for Me
Taking care of my health is one way I practice self-love.
But I'm also learning that self-love can happen in the little moments in between.
After a long day, sometimes I don't need to accomplish anything else. I need to come home, change into something comfortable, slow down, and give myself permission to simply be.
For me, that's part of my self-care ritual.
There is something special about putting on something soft and comfortable and knowing that the day is done. It's a small reminder that I don't always have to be in “go mode.”
Because self-love isn't always a big, dramatic decision.
Sometimes it's an appointment you finally make.
Sometimes it's asking for help.
Sometimes it's getting enough rest.
And sometimes it's putting on something comfortable, closing the door, and saying:
“Today, I've done enough.”
You deserve that moment, too.
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I am worth taking care of today.
And so are you.
There are still parts of my story that I haven't shared.
Parts that I wasn't ready to talk about before.
And honestly, there are things I'm still figuring out how—and when—to share.
But I'm learning that I don't have to tell my entire story all at once.
I can take my time.
I can pause when I need to.
I can share when I'm ready.
And maybe that's another form of self-love:
Giving yourself permission to tell your story at your own pace.
Tomorrow, I'll continue.
For now, I want you to ask yourself:
What is one thing you can do for yourself today?
Maybe it's making that appointment you've been putting off.
Maybe it's getting some rest.
Maybe it's asking for help.
Maybe it's simply giving yourself five quiet minutes.
Whatever it is...
Choose yourself.
One day at a time. One choice at a time. One act of self-love at a time. ❤️
To be continued...