Showing up for yourself is one of the best acts of self-love and compassion. Here are 10 tips to show up for yourself, boost your self-confidence, and feel instantly empowered!
Introduction
Life is busy, isn’t it? There are too many tasks to get done, people to please, family to support, and responsibilities to take care of. The older we get, the more stressful life seems to get.
Amidst all this, sometimes, we fall to the end of our own priority list. If that sounds like you, I have a few questions for you:
How often do you show up for yourself?
Are you your own greatest cheerleader?
Do you honor your commitments to yourself?
Personally, at times, I get so focused on showing up for others that I forget to show up for myself. It’s those times that I tend to lose myself and fall into negative patterns of stress, frustration, or fear.
And it’s when I start to intentionally show up for myself that I get back on the path of empowerment, personal growth, and joy.
If you are also looking to strengthen your mindset, prioritize yourself, and be your best advocate, this post is for you. I’ll walk through 10 tips to show up for yourself.
10 Tips to Show Up For Yourself
1. Follow through on what you say you’ll do
How often do you say you’ll go to the gym, but cancel your plans the moment something better comes up or you get lazy?
Or do you ever set ambitious goals for yourself, then change your mind once it gets too hard or it feels like nothing is working?
I know it may be hard to admit, but are you perhaps being flaky with yourself? And I’m not perfect – I’ve done this too!
But if we want to truly show up for ourselves and our goals, it’s so incredibly important to follow through on the promises, intentions, and plans we make for ourselves.
Consistently following through on yourself builds self-trust. The more you’ll also train yourself to be accountable and be a person of your word.
2. Get in tune with yourself
Making time and space to connect with yourself is key.
Just like you would sit down with a friend, sit down with yourself. Just like you would listen to a friend with an open ear and sympathy, take a moment to reflect and listen to what your heart wants.
Be present with yourself. Get honest. Find time to journal and let your feelings, thoughts, and emotions pour through. Be vulnerable, and most importantly, listen.
Connect with yourself as often as you can.
3. Forgive yourself
One important way to show up for yourself and show self-compassion is through forgiveness. It’s so easy to be our own toughest critic. I know I am.
Yet, staying in a loop of anger, frustration or regret doesn’t help us move forward.
To make space for the new, here are a few ways to show yourself forgiveness.
-
- Write a letter of forgiveness, addressed to you
- Write a list of things you’re ready to let go
- Meditate on what you’d like release
- Work with a therapist or counsellor for additional support
Remember, the most important thing is to allow yourself to feel the feelings of forgiveness, and allow yourself to move on. Find the closure you need, give yourself grace, and let it go.
Related: 5 Letters to Write to Yourself for Self-Love
4. Give yourself compliments
Doesn’t it feel amazing to receive compliments? You feel loved, appreciated, and seen.
But how often do we give ourselves compliments? Rarely!
It doesn’t have to be awkward, rather, it can be as simple as thinking positive things about yourself.
Every time you catch yourself in the mirror, notice something that you appreciate. You can practice using affirmations and adding them to your daily routine. Alternatively, you can journal and write down all the things you’ve done that you’re proud of.
Incorporating more compliments into your life will only reinforce positive self-belief. After all, why rely on others for compliments if you can give them to yourself at any time.
Related: 30 Uplifting and Empowering Affirmations To Create Your Dream Life
Related: 20 Unique Tips For Self Love For Millennials
5. Honor your intuition
Showing up for yourself includes honoring your intuition. Sometimes we default to making decisions based on what we think is the right thing to do, or maybe the most reasonable, or perhaps, the easiest path forward.
But if you dive deeper, are you making those decisions based on fear?
Remember, we don’t always have to take the common path or the most logical path. By listening to our intuition, we always have the clearest answer available to us.
Listen to your gut. You know what’s best for you and what isn’t. It can be as simple as asking yourself, “what feels good to me?”
Let yourself lead with that question, and take every next action that feels most aligned.
6. Celebrate every achievement
Life’s short – celebrate yourself whenever you can!
-
- Got a promotion? Celebrate!
- Quit your toxic job? Celebrate!
- Started a passion project you’ve been thinking of for ages? Celebrate!
- Faced one of your fears? Celebrate!
Whether big or small, celebrate your achievements. Buy yourself cake. Treat yourself to little gifts.
You deserve to be celebrated.
7. Advocate for yourself
It’s tough out there, so be sure to advocate for yourself. This can be one of the most powerful ways to show up for yourself in all different areas of your life.
Whether it’s standing up for your personal beliefs, advocating for a promotion, or setting a boundary in a relationship, advocating for ourselves is so necessary.
We never want to let ourselves get stepped on or taken advantage of. And the only way to prevent that is to speak up for ourselves whenever we feel like boundaries are being crossed or we’re being treated unfairly.
Be your own best advocate.
8. Pivot as many times as you need
Just because we decided something once, doesn’t mean we’re locked down to that decision for the rest of our lives.
For example, our career. Just because I decided in university, at the age of 22, that I’d be a Marketing professional working in corporate doesn’t mean that I’d find my life purpose there.
I’ve grown, evolved, and transformed in so many ways since university. But it’s been so challenging to change my self-concept after thinking I’d be working in corporate Marketing for the rest of my life.
Allowing myself to pivot has been the most empowering feeling.
I let myself change my mind.
I let myself pivot. Again. And again. And as many times as I want to.
Life is supposed to flow. We are allowed to change our minds. Especially as we explore our personal growth and dive deeper into our desires and passions and dreams.
So pivot. Change your mind if you’re feeling called to.
Related: 14 Tips To Navigate Life Transitions With Grace
Related: 45 Empowering Affirmations for New Beginnings
9. Give yourself permission to rest
Hustle culture is outdated. We don’t always have to be productive.
For instance, it’s okay to put work to the side (responsibly). Take vacations regularly and use up that PTO.
Work and productivity can wait, but our mental and physical health won’t. Regularly finding space to rest prevents stress, anxiety, and burn out.
Put yourself first by finding time to rest, recover, and disconnect. At the end of the day, your body and mind will be grateful you did.
10. Take action on your dreams
The best way to show up for yourself is by following through on your dreams. Take action on your deepest desires.
Is it to pivot your career?
Or start your dream business?
Maybe go back to school?
Or move to a different country?
Perhaps start that hobby you’ve been thinking of?
Whatever it may be, I hope you choose yourself. Make those dreams into reality, even if it’s with little baby steps. One aligned action at a time.
Honor your dreams – they are there for a reason.
Related: 15 Inspiring Ways to Feel More Empowered In Your Life
Related: The Most Powerful Way to Transform Your Life This Year
Conclusion
If you ever feel stuck with how to show up for yourself, just think: “how would I show up for others?”
Then intentionally apply those action steps to yourself instead.
Compliment yourself, the way you would others.
Celebrate yourself, the way you would others.
Cheer yourself on, the way you would others.
Forgive yourself, the way you would others.
Ultimately, the more we treat ourselves with the same grace, kindness, and love we show others, the more we empower ourselves. I hope these 10 tips are helpful in your own journey.
I wish you all the best!
xx
Tam
How will you choose to show up for yourself?
Leave a comment below!
PIN FOR LATER
