WAYS TO STOP HATING YOURSELF
Well, the truth is that you are being victimized by your self-hatred.
Get the hell off social media:
Take a break, or detox, from social media – and set your goal for 30 days. If that seems too long, try one week with no social media. I’m talking no Facebook, no Instagram, no TikTok, and no YouTube – none of it!
If you have to uninstall a hoard of apps, do it. If you have to shove your laptop under the bed in a locked vault, do it. Go hermit mode. Say sayōnara to the constant notification dings and stream of other people’s mental vomit. You’ll be happy you made this choice!
The reason why I advise you to get the hell off social media is that it tends to reinforce self-hatred through a phenomenon known as toxic comparison.
So please distance yourself from social media. It should be classified as a Class A Substance because of its addictive potential and negative side effects.
By the way, according to many studies, people who take a break from social media report feeling happier, more relaxed, and more productive. So take comfort in that and use this information to motivate you to turn off and tune out.
Do one kind thing for yourself every day:
Doing one good thing for yourself every day can feel weird at first. If it does, take a minute to note down those feelings and responses in a journal.
Creatively express your self-hatred:
Art is a powerful healing practice that will help you come to terms with how self-hatred is influencing you.
One powerful art practice is to get a big sheet of blank paper and a few colored pens and draw yourself as the self-loathing part of you perceives you. Then, get another piece of paper and draw yourself as a genuinely loving and compassionate person would see you.
Compare the two drawings. How do they make you feel? What memories or thoughts arise? You may like to write these down on the back of each drawing.
Explore your core beliefs:
Your core beliefs are the central convictions or strongly held ideas that you have about yourself. Everything else in your life – your habits, behaviors, self-talk, job choices, friends, partners – will revolve around these central beliefs. And if these beliefs are negative, beware! So much pain and suffering in life stems from our toxic core beliefs.
Commit to self-love and self-care:
What’s the difference between self-love and self-care, you may wonder? Well, self-love is more directed toward the heart and mind. Self-care, on the other hand, is more body-oriented.
Take care of your soul (mindfulness + meditation):
When we are disconnected from the Divine – in whatever form that is to us – we feel empty, dead, and lost inside.
The easiest way to re-establish a connection with your soul is through mindfulness and meditation.
Mindfulness reconnects you with the present moment, which is where all the magic happens, and meditation helps you to move past your ego and experience your soul.
Mindfulness and meditation also help you to deal with self-loathing thoughts by becoming aware of them. Once you become aware of these self-hating thoughts, you become an observer of them rather than being lost in them. It’s kind of like the difference between being in a dramatic movie versus sitting back in the movie theater and watching the movie in a relaxed manner.
