Self-love is so important, but no one really goes into the details of how to do it. Which is a shame, because for a lot of us, this is the hardest lesson for us to learn in our lives.

Now, I’m definitely not some sort of sage, but I’ve put together a list of my Top 5 self-love practices to bring you a little enlightenment on the path to appreciating your perfectly imperfect self and taking good care of your heart and soul.

1) Nourish Your Bod.

Eat real f&*kin’ food, my friends. What you put into your body makes such a huge difference in not only your overall health, but in how you feel mentally, how well you concentrate at work, and how your interact with others.

I talked about this a few weeks ago, but a big way that I show myself and others a lot of love is through cooking. Taking the time to prepare a delicious, whole meal and sharing it with friends and family is an investment four times over. It’s contributing positively to your physical and mental health, their physical health, and by giving you all a chance to connect and socialize.

“Nourish, to me, is nourishing food, nourishing your family, nourishing your life.” (Jamie Oliver)

2) Bravery if Badass.

Remember, failure isn’t permanent. In fact, it can give you a better roadmap to success by teaching you what doesn’t work and how to see obstacles in a different way. There is actually no better substitute than learning from our so-called mistakes—those lessons are incredibly valuable. In fact, according to Jerry and Esther Hicks and “The Vortex”, “Nothing ever goes wrong. Because every piece of contrast, no matter how wrong it seems to be, is always helping you to clarify what it is that you do want.”

Plain and simple, dreams require action—and you are always closer than you think. Trust in your beliefs, your skills and your ideas to help you reach your goals. And cut yourself some slack when things don’t go according to plan because those who never risk losing, never win either.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.”(J.K. Rowling)

3) Appreciate You.

This practice means learning to accept and appreciate yourself 100% the way you are now in this moment. You can acknowledge that there is room for growth, but we are all perfectly imperfect. If we were perfect, it would be so boring anyway!

So embrace who you are today, don’t discount how far you’ve come to get here, and applaud all that you’ve accomplished up to this point. Show yourself and the Universe some gratitude for the journey and the lessons learned.

If you’re having a tough time with this one, and I totally get it (it’s a tough one), check out my tips on doing a Judgement Detox to help shatter your limiting beliefs. It’s time to let go of the toxic judgements you’re placing on yourself and show yourself some real love.

“Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.” (Beyoncé)

4) The Love Rub

Here is an exercise I suggest to my private coaching clients. Look at yourself in the mirror naked. Yep, I said naked. With a warm washcloth, massage your body from your feet up to your heart, very similarly to dry brushing. As you’re massaging, tell your body how much you love it, even the body parts that aren’t your favorite.

Tell your knees how awesome they are for how they carry you from place to place. Your toes for how they help you stay strong in yoga class. Your biceps for helping you hold your child in your arms or for helping you give amazing hugs. Your arms for letting you embrace friends and your hands for giving high fives. 😉 Your neck for holding your head up high.

Every part of your body, whether you think it’s cute or not, contributes to your journey.

“I’ve finally stopped running away from myself. Who else is there better to be?” (Goldie Hawn)

5) Step Out of Line.

No grit, no pearl, babes. We all have slumps, bad periods and setbacks, but it’s how we choose to react to them that makes the difference. We have a choice. We can choose to think better thoughts, to take action, to take the first step. So, choose you.

Step out of line. Pull yourself out of your comfort zone that’s holding you back from growing and changing. Hiding under the warm covers with your laptop and Hulu is comfy, but it’s not going to bring you the peace of mind that you might think it will.

You do not need to be a laser-focused multitasker from Day 1, or ever. Remember, it’s about being perfectly imperfect! Just do one small thing to help you get out of that slump to start. Maybe list three things you’re grateful for each day. Or take care of a looming task you’ve been procrastinating on. Or implement one new habit.

The important thing is to recognize those negative thoughts and rise up above them.

“You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.” (Diane von Furstenberg)

Which self-love practices are your favorite? Do you have a favorite empowering quote or two that you’d like to share? I’d love for you to post it here in the comments.

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LOVE + bold badassery!