Now that we’ve discussed the basics of cleaning your external space, it is time to move on to the most important step of all. YOU.

We forget to think about our wants, needs, desires, faults, and ambitions, and when asked, “How would you describe yourself?” we hesitate. To cultivate that positive, peaceful atmosphere, you must get to know yourself. Know your strengths, weaknesses, and habits. The more you analyze yourself, the more you elevate your vibration.

Technique: Self-Love
Purpose: Self-love allows you to truly see and feel your worth. The more you acknowledge yourself as a divine being worthy of all the universe offers, the more highly energetic beings you attract — beings such as friends, family, God, angels, and aligned connections.

Your life will change rapidly when you love yourself because loving yourself allows you to love others, receive love, and cultivate peace.

Below is a list of self-love activities to choose from. Choose one or more activities to delve into. The possibilities are endless. However, choose the one you feel aligned with. Everyone’s journey, time, and finances differ, so what someone else chooses may not be an activity you’d like to do.

Remember: YOU. Not everyone else.

A. Yoga
Purpose: Yoga is a low-impact activity that provides a calming effect on the body. When you relax more, you can think, feel, and attract higher awareness.

We all run around with an endless list of to-dos, neglecting our bodies’ mental and emotional needs. Yoga is a safe space that allows you to heal your wounds through the movement of your body.

I suffer from panic attacks where I’ve felt a lump in my chest. It negatively impacted all areas of my life, and it started to show. My mother encouraged yoga, but I didn’t feel the motivation or mental capacity to open up to it. I continued to make excuses.

When my health took a turn for the worse, I realized it stemmed from the emotional suppression I was facing, and I needed to make a change.

How to: Yoga studio or no yoga studio? It depends on what works for you. Kudos if you can attend a studio. If you’re open to attending one but haven’t gone yet, GO! Nothing is holding you back but yourself.

If time is limited, utilize YouTube. There are endless online instructors sharing multiple types of yoga from 5-minute sessions to hour-long practices.

Unsure where to start? Look inside yourself and ask, “Where do I feel I need healing the most?” Stressed and experiencing panic attacks? Search for that specific type of yoga. Feeling uncreative or stuck in a rut affecting your job or business? Look up motivational or creativity-focused yoga. You can even search “feeling stuck in a rut yoga” and videos related to it will appear.

Select a video that is visually appealing to you. That’s your inner self speaking through you physically.

Yoga is not only mental and spiritual — it is physical. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced sessions based on your stamina and flexibility. I recommend starting with beginner sessions and working your way up.

B. Affirmations
Purpose: Words have power. Whether spoken out loud or within your inner monologue, the results remain the same.

Positive words make you feel confident, attractive, motivated, and at peace. Negative words make you feel unmotivated, discouraged, and attract negative encounters.

Therefore, we use this technique to our advantage.

Self-love affirmations are repetitive phrases you state every morning before you start your day. If that feels overwhelming, start twice a week and increase the frequency over time.

It’s progress over perfection.

How to: YouTube is great for finding different types of affirmations. The key is specifically searching for self-love affirmations.

Here are some beginner affirmations to start with. You can choose one category and focus on it weekly. You do not need to focus on all of them unless you want to. The key is intention. Believe each word, regardless of your current situation.

Self-Worth:
I honor who I am becoming.
I release the need for outside validation.
I do not need to earn love — I am love.

Confidence:
I walk with confidence and grace.
My voice matters.
I am allowed to take up space.

Healing & Growth:
I forgive myself for past versions of me.
Growth feels safe for me.
I choose peace over perfection.

Boundaries & Energy:
I choose relationships that choose me.
I release what drains me.
It is safe to say no.

C. The “I Love You” Effect
Purpose: This is considered a difficult practice for most people because it requires you to look at yourself wholeheartedly without glancing away. Truly look into your own eyes like you would with family or a significant other and say, to you, by you, for you: “I love you.”

When my mother first told me about this practice, I laughed. I thought it was silly. Of course I love myself why would I need to say it?

The hard truth? I wasn’t truly loving myself. I wasn’t seeing myself fully or loving myself despite the imperfections I believed I had.

The first time I tried it, I kept laughing and glancing away. Then it hit me — I couldn’t look at myself because I didn’t have the courage to. I took a deep breath and told myself I could do this. Eye to eye, I repeated, “I love you.” It wasn’t so bad. I kept repeating it, and suddenly a flow of tears came over me.

I needed to hear those words from myself. I saw imperfections and questioned my worth, it struck an emotional cord.

This is a releasing experience. Now, I look in the mirror, smile, say “I love you,” blow a kiss, and go on with my day feeling good inside.

When you achieve this level, you put yourself first with love. It doesn’t matter what others say or how they treat you, because you live life focused on the amazing person you are and that is what matters.

How to: Look at yourself in the mirror.
Take a deep breath and repeat, “I love you.”
Repeat 5–10 times.

Giggling may be a side effect.

Repeat 2–3 times a week until you’re ready to increase to daily.

D. A Date for One
Purpose: Taking yourself on a date allows you to reconnect with yourself, increase your self-respect, choose yourself on purpose, and strengthen your identity outside of external validation.

The intention is to enjoy your own presence. The more you do, the more your confidence and self-worth grow. This also gives you insight into who you are.

You can enjoy new restaurants, attend community events, visit wellness sanctuaries, or spend time in nature all by yourself. Remember, you do not need others for you to enjoy these. You must break away to grow.

How: Make a bucket list of self-love dates. This could range from a spa retreat to walking in the park. It doesn’t have to be fancy; all you need is you and a set location and time.

Schedule your date once a month. Do not stand yourself up!

These are just a few practices to begin with. You will experience different emotional states, but you must move through them to release what no longer serves you.

Inner work is not loud. It is quiet, consistent, and deeply personal.

Some days will feel light.
Some days will feel heavy.
But every step toward loving yourself is a step toward peace.

If you hesitate when asked who you are, that is your sign to go deeper. The more you know yourself, the less the world can shake you.

And that is power.