There’s a great quote that says, “You owe yourself the love that you so freely give others.” Makes sense, so why not start here? Take this opportunity to brush up on a few health and wellness tips, compliments of CREB^®’s Critical Illness Benefit Society (CIBS) and Alberta Health Services.

This June, take care of you.

Your most important relationship is with you.

Your most important lifelong relationship is with you. Your circumstances and the messages you tell yourself influence how you navigate that relationship.

If your circumstances include an unhealthy relationship or poor work-life balance, you may need to make some life decisions that lead you in a more positive direction. If you have a relentless inner critic who continually finds fault, you may need to learn how to exercise some self-compassion.

Practising self-acceptance and positive self-talk are sure-fire ways to build your self-worth.

Here are six proven ways to build a strong foundation of self-worth.

1. Acknowledge your thoughts. Our thoughts can greatly influence our approach to life. Mindfulness meditation, and mindfulness in general, are great ways to get in touch with negative self-talk. Acknowledging your thoughts goes a long way toward loosening their grip.
2. Cut yourself some slack. Adopting a more accepting and encouraging approach to yourself can uncover more rewarding paths to travel in life. Be a nicer person—to you. Avoid comparing yourself, or your success, to others.
3. Connect with others. We learn more about ourselves by connecting with others. Other people can influence how we feel about ourselves––good or bad. Surrounding yourself with positive people creates a strong network that can support and encourage you.
4. Take care of the basics. Making self-care a priority sends you an important subliminal message—your well-being is important, because you’re worth it. Strive for a healthy lifestyle that’s fuelled by healthy eating, regular activity and adequate sleep. Carve out time to de-stress, enjoy hobbies, spend time with positive people, or simply take a bath. You’ll reap the rewards in better self-esteem and better health.
5. Go out on a limb. Taking risks fosters continual learning and growth. When you succeed, you gain self-confidence. When you fail, you learn to reflect on what you can do differently and practise self-compassion.
6. Build yourself a trophy case. Track your successes—this can be as simple as jotting them down in a notebook or adding them into your smartphone. Then, take a moment every week to review and genuinely savour what you’ve achieved. You’ll be surprised at how you’ll start to notice all your accomplishments—both large and small.

Continue to read CREB^®Talk for more health and wellness tips and help us spread the word about the CIBS benefit.