Taking care of our mental health isn’t always easy. And, as men, it can be tempting to write off the concept of loving ourselves with a quick, “well, whatever.” This might not be the best course forward though, especially as practicing self-love can translate to better experiences and success in the world of dating.
When it comes to self-love for men though, a quick Google search returns a myriad of cliché quotes and memes talking about the importance of being true to yourself. This isn’t all that helpful when you’re trying to work out what self-love for guys is and how to incorporate the concept into your day-to-day life.
So, what is self-love and how do we, as men, go about nurturing it in ourselves? And, can it benefit us when it comes to our dating lives? We’ve tackled all this below to give you a detailed insight into self-love for men, as well as some tips and suggestions to bear in mind.
What Is Self-Love For Men?
Before we can get into the nuts and bolts of why self-love for guys is important, it’s worth making sure that we’re all on the same page about what self-love actually is. The best way to define the topic is to start by looking at what it’s not.
First things first, self-love is not thinking you’re better than everyone else. It’s not about having a big ego or tricking yourself into thinking you’re happy when you’re really not. And, importantly, practicing self-love doesn’t mean shouting positive phrases you don’t believe at yourself in the mirror every morning.
Self-love for men means actual internal happiness with oneself. In other words, it’s when all the joking and the “fake it ’till you make it” is set to one side. Self-love means you’re genuinely happy with who you are and where you are in life.
Knowing the meaning of self-love is just the first step though. Being aware of the benefits it can bring and knowing how to practice it is key when it comes to learning how to love yourself.
How to Love Yourself as a Man: 3 Easy Steps to Follow
Knowing how to practice self-love as a man isn’t always straightforward. The scope of what you’re going to need to get there often depends heavily on your situation. But, there are a few general tips and strategies that can help get you headed in the right direction. We’ve laid these out below.
1. Dedicate time to the process
Practicing male self-love is a journey. You’re not going to just magically start loving yourself more just by hoping it happens. Set a bit of time aside every day to work on how you view yourself. Putting in this daily effort will really help in the long run.
2. Change the things you can
If there’s something you don’t like about yourself and you can change it, then change it! This is a process that might take a little work and time, but if you dedicate yourself to it, you can improve a ton.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
If you have deep-rooted issues, don’t be afraid to seek out some professional assistance. When you need help in the gym, you get a trainer. How is that any different from getting a little assistance when it comes to your mental game? Spoiler — it’s no different.
3 Ways in Which Self-Love for Men Helps With Dating
When you genuinely love yourself healthily and humbly, it can bring a lot of benefits across several aspects of your life. But, our focus here is on dating, and practicing self-love for men can benefit your dating game in plenty of ways. Check out our top three picks below!
1. Rejection hurts way less
We’re not going to come out and try to convince you that rejection suddenly becomes a great thing as a result of male self-love. However, the more confident you are in the value you bring to the table, the less getting rejected is going to hurt.
In fact, rejection is the perfect real-world test of where you’re at with the process. When you’re not completely happy with yourself, rejection can cause you to look inward and take things personally. However, when you know how to love yourself as a man, rejection becomes way more about the other person. Instead of “something is wrong with me,” it becomes “I just must not be their type,” and that’s a much more positive outlook to have.
If you need some motivation to improve your self-love, just imagine what dating would be like if you didn’t have to worry about the fears of rejection affecting you ever again.
2. Confidence is sexy
The confidence you gain when your male self-love game is on point doesn’t just help things inwardly. It also has some great benefits that become evident to the other singles you’re talking with.
Here’s the bottom line — confidence is sexy. And when confidence genuinely stems from self-love and not from a heightened ego, it’s seriously attractive. People will start to notice that you’re different and they’re going to want to be around you more, which is always a win when it comes to dating.
3. You don’t need someone else
The greatest benefit that men get when they’re truly happy with themselves is that they don’t need someone else to complete their life. Instead of having to find someone to try and fill a gap, you can search for someone who’s truly complementary. The result is a much healthier and more fruitful relationship that focuses on bettering each other and not on solely fixing problems.
Guys, It’s Time to Start Focusing On Yourself!
Self-love is one of the best kinds of love. When it comes to self-love for guys, this is no different. As we work through the rollercoaster that is our day-to-day lives, practicing self-love can be a great way to keep yourself on track.
It doesn’t have to be a daunting task either. Set a small amount of time aside each day, work on things that you have control over, and use the resources around you for support. Practicing self-love for men will not only help to keep your internal happiness high, but it’ll also set you up for success when you jump into the dating world!
