Create a Self Love Routine in 6 Simple Steps

Last Updated on September 9, 2024 by Saskia Friedrich

Self love. We hear about it all the time. But what is it exactly? And how can we incorporate a self love routine into our busy lives without feeling selfish and being seen as egoistic?

Self love is more than taking a hot bath and putting some candles on every now and again. It’s an important routine that consists of self love exercises you should be able to find time for and practice every single day – without justification.

You need to realize that you are worthy of being loved and taken care of. Sometimes you just need to put yourself first. If you don’t do it, no one else will do it for you.

How To Create a Self Love Routine: Summary

1. Set Up a Morning Routine
2. Pick an Activity You Love
3. Think and Speak Loving Words
4. Be Mindful
5. Set Boundaries
6. Finish Your Day With Positive Affirmations

Practicing Self Love As Part of Your Daily Routine

Having a self love routine in place has a huge positive impact on the following:

Confidence
Energy
Happiness
Health
Resilience
Strength

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1. Set Up a Morning Routine

There’s no better way to start the day doing something for yourself first. Setting up a morning routine and sticking to it is an essential part of your self love routine.

You spend most of the day doing things for other people like your employer (or your clients if you’re a freelancer), your kids, or your friends and family.

No matter what great intention you have in the morning to be doing something for yourself at the end of the day, it’s most likely not going to happen because you’re exhausted.

In saying that though, if you’re a nighttime person, check out these 35 self-care night ideas which you can do as part of your evening routine.

self love routine — Self love morning routine

Throughout the day you get bombarded with news, dramas, and things you have to take care of.

You also get frustrated by how other people treat you, by what they tell you, and by the amount of help they require from you. At night, you feel drained and don’t have much energy left.

That’s why the mornings are a great time to do some self-love activities that you enjoy.

Work out how much time you would like to spend on yourself in the morning and set the alarm clock earlier than usual.

If you’re having trouble getting up, start with setting the alarm 10 minutes earlier. Once you have mastered getting up, you can increase the time.

If you have a family or roommates, it’s important to get up before them, so you’re not being interrupted by anyone while practicing your self love routine. Even more so, if you’ve never really had a morning routine.

2. Pick an Activity You Love

There are lots of self love exercises to choose from when setting up your morning routine. It depends on your personality, your preferences, and how much time you would like to dedicate to your self love routine.

Here are some ideas:

Meditation
Yoga
Journaling
Having a cup of coffee or tea in peace
Setting your intentions for the day
Thinking of positive affirmations
Reading
Learning a new language/working on your business
Taking a nice hot bubble bath
Taking a relaxing shower

I know it’s hard to get up earlier or not jump straight into doing housework once you leave the bedroom.

Especially having my hot brew just sitting somewhere quiet is something I had to get used to first. Usually, I would unload the dishwasher at the same time or take down the washing.

As a mom, there is no time to spare.

BUT, it’s so important to sometimes just do one thing at a time and not rush. Your day is less stressful that way and you are much happier having had some time just for yourself in the morning.

When you have your coffee or tea, you can think about your intentions for the day. This is not only about ticking to-do’s off your list, it’s also about the feeling you associate with them and what you would like to achieve mentally and emotionally.

Self-love vs. self-care – Want to know the difference? Be sure to read on so you can live your best life understanding why both self-care and self-love are important for you.

3. Think and Speak Loving Words

As part of your self love routine, be sure to think and speak loving words to yourself as well as others. Encourage yourself rather than bringing yourself down.

Be grateful for the positive things and the people in your life, rather than focusing on the bad and on what you don’t have.

Positive words and thoughts are powerful and will change your mindset and mentality (check out these self-compassion journaling prompts).

Learn how to write yourself a love letter to manifest a positive love language.

Positive Affirmations For Your Self Love Routine

Today will be a good day
Today I can do anything
I have a supporting family and friends
I have food, a warm bed, and a job
And whatever makes you feel good and content

Love yourself for who you are. You are unique, special, and perfect just the way you are. Don’t compare yourself to others, everyone’s life and circumstances are different.

Praise and compliment yourself for what you accomplish, no matter how small it may seem to you. Life isn’t easy, but you always keep going and try to become a better person every day, so you’re allowed to reward yourself for it.

You can even buy a little present for yourself every time you accomplish something you are proud of. This motivates you to keep going.

Things You Should Avoid As Part Of Your Self Love Routine

Don’t hold on to negative things from your past
Forgive yourself for mistakes you made
Don’t be envy of people – be happy for them (check out these anger journal prompts)
Avoid self-pity and frustration

We all go through rough patches and some days we can’t help but feel down and frustrated. That’s ok! Tomorrow will be a better day again.

You can learn from your dark moments and the negative things from your past. They show you what you want to get rid of to show yourself love and appreciation. Be confident and hopeful about your future being bright and holding a lot of wonderful memories for you.

4. Be Mindful

Having a good self love routine in place means being mindful and living in the now, not in the past or the future. Enjoy the moment you’re in and have fun.

Don’t think about what has been nor what will be. Otherwise, you’ll be missing out on an incredible experience that will never come back to you in the same way.

You need to live and feel more intentionally and listen to your gut feeling. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your feelings and values are just as important as everyone else’s, so don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.

Loving yourself also means taking care of your body and respecting it. Make sure to drink enough water, eat healthy, and work out. If you’re tired, have a rest. Don’t push yourself to the limits.

Use these monthly reflection questions to check in with yourself regularly.

5. Set Boundaries

Another essential part of your self love routine is setting boundaries. Not only for yourself but even more so for others.

Don’t get too involved in other people’s dramas, if you can, even stay away from them. Sometimes, we get so caught up with the lives of others, that it leaves us drained and exhausted, and we end up having no time for ourselves.

I also recommend not to watch too much news. Not because I don’t care about what’s going on, but the media makes a huge deal out of everything and we need to protect ourselves from negativity and the bad feelings associated with the dramatic headlines.

6. Finish Your Day With Positive Affirmations

Not only do you want to be more mindful and kind to yourself throughout the day, it’s also a good practice of self love if you finish your day with thoughts of love to yourself and your loved ones.

You can write those positive affirmations in your journal or simply on a post-it note to remind yourself. Think about the things you are grateful for, and about the people who love you and make you happy.

If you like, you can even stand in front of the mirror and read the affirmations out loud. Pull a face while doing it and make yourself laugh! You can also do this while having a nice hot bath. Check out these self care bath ideas!

Reflect on what you have experienced throughout the day. What have you achieved? Can you be proud of anything? What things can you improve and what can you do better tomorrow?

Before You Go . . .

Practicing a self love routine is the best way of showing yourself love and gratitude. While following this routine, you get to spend time with yourself, your feelings, values, and thoughts.

Setting up a daily habit of practicing self love can feel a bit daunting and overwhelming at first. Start with little steps and notice the difference it makes to your life and how you feel about yourself. Be consistent and after a while, you can change things up or add something else to your routine.

Self love doesn’t mean that you always have to be happy, it’s about respecting yourself and doing something, that makes you feel good.

And don’t forget: you need to love and take care of yourself first to love and take care of others.

Want more? Try out the 30-Day Self-Care Challenge!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Self-Love Habits?

Self love habits are things that make you feel good about yourself and about living life. Such as gratitude, curiosity, passion, and respect.

What Are Some Self-Love Activities?

Self-love activities are:

Respect yourself
Show gratitude
Focus on the positive things in life
Be mindful
Live in the moment
Set boundaries
Do something you love
Positive affirmations
Think and speak loving words
Have a morning routine

Why Is Self-Love So Difficult?

Self-love is so difficult because we tend to focus on the negative things about us. Instead of simply loving and accepting ourselves for the way we are, we spend time thinking about past mistakes, wrong decisions, and personal issues.

Self Love Routine

About The Author of Self Love Routine

Saskia is a mom, blogger, and freelance writer. She loves sharing tips on self-care, personal growth, and productivity & organization. Find out more about her or get in touch with her here.

Create a Self Love Routine [ In 6 Simple Steps ]