{"id":3802,"date":"2013-01-01T12:01:37","date_gmt":"2013-01-01T17:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=3802"},"modified":"2012-12-30T15:50:25","modified_gmt":"2012-12-30T20:50:25","slug":"happy-2013-filled-with-self-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2013\/01\/happy-2013-filled-with-self-love.html","title":{"rendered":"Happy 2013 Filled with Self-Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Happy New Year! I hope that you entered 2013 smiling and feeling love. I\u2019m excited that today is day 1 of Self-Love Month.<\/strong> What better way to start a new year than to find ways to say, \u201cI love me\u201d every day of the month? What\u2019s even better is when you enjoy it a loth, you’ll want to continue to find more ways throughout the whole year! I’ll have at least one post on building self-love very day of the month.<\/p>\n

January can be a tough month for people to get through. After the rush of the holiday season, this darker, colder winter month can be a bit of a downer. Social activities slow down as people recover from a hectic December. Money may be tighter after holiday spending. Holiday parties are over. Holiday weight gain may be on your mind. I don\u2019t like having so much less sunshine and the weather isn\u2019t conducive for me to do many outdoor activities.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why January is a perfect time to focus on being more loving to yourself. Why not start the year feeling good instead of let down after all the holiday activities? Now is the time to put your energy into doing kind and loving things for YOU. Make yourself feel good. Do things that improve your health and well-being. My January mantra is \u201cFocus on Self.\u201d This doesn\u2019t mean ignoring other people but it does mean making yourself and your desires and needs important.<\/p>\n

Have you pledged to take my 31 Days of Self-Love Commitment<\/strong><\/a> yet\u2014to do something loving for yourself on every day of January? II hope that you\u2019ll enjoy this consciousness after the 31st day and continue to be loving to you as the year progresses. The more you do for you, the more you\u2019ll feel good. The more you feel good, the more you\u2019ll want to do and the stronger your self-love will become. That can carry it through to the whole year and beyond<\/p>\n

Today is the first day of 2013 and the first day of the rest of your life. Loving yourself is YOUR choice. Do one kind thing that puts a smile on your face today. Then do something else loving for you tomorrow. It doesn\u2019t have to be major. Cut yourself some slack. Stop and take a few deep breaths. Go for a walk. Spend time with a good friend. Make time to read. Whatever makes you feel good says, \u201cI love me!\u201d Here\u2019s a short video I made which will emphasize my points. I wish all of you w very blessed and self-loving 2013!<\/p>\n

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