Since the month of February seems to be all about LOVE, the question I’d like us to begin to ask ourselves daily is, “What do can I do to show myself more love today?”

Besides buying yourself flowers and chocolate (I’m all for that too!), you can use this question to trigger ways to be a little kinder to yourself – mentally, spiritually, physically & emotionally.  Here are 10 ways to get started.…

Choose it.

You get to choose every day how much to love yourself.   And the more you are willing to show yourself love, the more love you will have to give. When you deepen this place of love at the core level inside you, it begins to affect your beliefs, thoughts, and feelings, which will shape your actions and eventually, your results.  Choose to make it a daily practice.

Own it.

You don’t need anyone else to do this!  Know that you are 100% responsible for your own self-love.  No matter what others have said to you or the environment in which you grew up, you now have the ability to change your level of self-love. When you change how you treat yourself (and talk to yourself) internally, things can begin shift externally.

Lucille Ball had the right idea, and it seemed to work for her:

I have an everyday religion that works for me.
Love yourself first and everything else falls into place.
 – Lucille Ball

So, what would it look like to LOVE yourself more?  Here are 10 ways to get started…

1)   Ask the love question

I vow to LOVE myself more than ever before this month.

Simply ask yourself each day, “What can I do to show you love today?” And I wait for the answer to appear, and then do it!

2)   Love where you are

 I love, honor and respect where I am right now in my career and my life. 

Say it out loud.  What does that feel like? If it’s hard to say without your stomach knotting up or tears welling up in your eyes, then keep saying it until you FEEL it to be true.  When you begin to make peace with where you are, you create a whole new jumping off point where new experiences, people and jobs can come to you.

3)   Forgive yourself

I forgive myself for all the things I’ve told myself I should have done by now.

Take a moment to look in the mirror, and say, “I forgive you.”  It might feel cheesy at first, but when you can look into your own eyes and really SEE yourself, it allows your truth to come to the surface.  We all beat ourselves up at times, so you’re not the only one, but the real work now is to forgive yourself and begin again.

4)   Acknowledge your worth

 I find time each day to remind myself, “I am good enough.”

Write down 5 new things each day that you love about yourself or what you are proud of yourself for.  This is easy to do, and just as easy not to do.  But what would this list look like after doing it for just 30 days? Well, you’d have 150 reasons to love yourself!

5)   Just say no

I will say “No” more often to commitments and people that don’t uplift me.

When you can begin to say no (gracefully), you set limits and boundaries that allow you more time to tend to your own needs.   The key is to not feel guilty about it!  Making space for your own self-care and for uplifting people in your life is a wonderful signal to yourself and the Universe that you are worth it!

6)   Do what you love

I will do something every day that I love.

Write down 10 things that you enjoy now and 10 things that you loved doing as a 5 year old.  It could be reading, drawing, cooking, gardening, dancing or swinging on a swing.  Make room for at least one of them on your calendar daily. Stop off at a park between auditions if you have to.  It just might help you bring a sense of play to your acting!

7)   Make space

I make space in my life for new experiences, people and things to show up.

Take time this month to notice what it feels like to get into your car, walk into your home, or pull an audition outfit from your closet.  Everything we own has energy attached to it.  Do you have too much?  Can you see everything you own?  Is it time to clear some space?  Clearing the clutter in your car, home and closet can energetically shift what begins to show up in your life.  Make some space.

8)   Deepen your faith

 I deepen my faith in myself, my talents, and my path.

Find ways to deepen your faith. If you are a late bloomer, find evidence of other actors who got a late start and keep a file to uplift you. When you realize everything we experience is here to teach us and there have been no wrong turns or missteps, the love (or faith) that remains will energize you to keep going.

9)   Reward yourself

I treat myself with the love and kindness I deserve.

When is the last time you rewarded yourself for all your hard work, all the auditions, all the time and energy you’ve put into your career?  You don’t need to wait until you’ve booked a bunch of jobs to love yourself.  Reward yourself today for how far you have come.  Take the time this week to indulge in something that makes your heart sing whether it’s a massage, a great meal, a new book or a mid-day matinee.

10)  Uplift yourself nightly

 I find ways to uplift myself before I go to sleep.

Whether it’s reading 10 pages of an uplifting book, giving thanks for the day, or listening to a guided meditation as you fall asleep, you will sleep more soundly than watching the news or a violent TV show before drifting off. Just think of how all that positive energy can add up over the next 30 days!

Leave a comment below + let me know how you show yourself love!

I hope you have a month filled with love, light and amazing breakthroughs!