7 Signs You Need To Love Yourself More

We live in an era where people judge each other based on looks (aka social media) – but what we sometimes forget is that we are our own harshest critics.

Are you constantly worried about overeating and looking fat? Do you glance every now and then in the mirror, wishing your skin was better?

Here are 10 signs that you may need to love yourself more.

1. You subconsciously compare yourself to others.

When you browse through Instagram stories, photos or videos, you catch yourself being low key jealous about how someone else can be so pretty, handsome or have such a great body.

You think that you would be living life to the fullest if only you were born with “better genes”.

2. You say sorry too much.

It’s okay to say sorry when you think you’ve done something wrong, but if you are apologizing all the time out of habit, you might not be showing yourself enough love.

A study by the European Journal of Social Psychology revealed that excessive apologizing can lower your self-esteem.

According to psychotherapist Beverly Engel, over-apologizing can also lead to people losing respect for you.

3. You refuse to admit it when you’re struggling.

Holding it all in so that your life looks perfect to everyone else (and to yourself) isn’t going to fix the real problem.

Being in denial about your own issues means you are also not fully accepting yourself for who you are.

Instead, allow yourself to address the fears and emotions that you have by first expressing them, and confiding in someone you trust.

4. You care a lot about what people think of you.

Most of your decisions are driven by how people will think about you. You may even care more about your appearance than your own health.

A study by American Psychological Association revealed that over the last decade, mental health issues have increased significantly among young adults.

With today’s unrealistic standards of how one’s body should look, mental health issues and eating disorders are becoming increasingly common.

Practice looking at yourself the way you look at your loved ones and friends – with more kindness and with less judgement.

Those who truly matter will not simply change their opinion of you based on something superficial. If they do, it’s time to make real friends.

5. You always place other’s needs before your own.

Being selfless and altruistic isn’t wrong, but you need to know how to prioritize your own needs.

If you’re only thinking about how to please others or to avoid upsetting them, you may neglect your own needs and wants, leading to a buildup of unhappiness within.

Remember that you are in control of your own life, and learn how to say “no” when you have to – it will benefit everyone else in the long run.

6. You’re extra needy/clingy.

As humans, we have different personality types, and some may not feel the need for personal space as much as others.

However, if you hate the thought of spending time alone with yourself most of the time, you probably don’t know how to love yourself well.

Think about why you’re utterly miserable being alone, and work towards creating a positive mindset about having “me time” – it could be as simple as picking up a new hobby or going outside for a nice stroll alone.

When you stop relying on everyone else to feel good about yourself, you’re one step closer to better self love.

7. You get defensive or shut down completely at any form of criticism.

When someone points out your flaws that you don’t agree with, your immediate response is to either to prove them wrong or to feel horrible about yourself, instead of really listening to them.

People who know how to love themselves are open-minded about criticism and able to remove themselves from the equation to look at the big picture, instead of taking everything as a personal attack.