8 Ways Self-Love Creates Your Dream Lifestyle

Far from being selfish or narcissistic, self-love refocuses and renews your spirit, granting you an unlimited reservoir of energy and vitality to create the lifestyle that suits you.

But due to public misconceptions about self-love, many people see it as impractical in the face of the challenges we encounter as we age.

So, what exactly does self-love look like for us at this stage of life?

And where and how can self-love help you visualize and actualize your dream lifestyle in your 60s and beyond?

We will answer these questions and more in our 11th article and video in this new, 12-part exclusive series for Sixty and Me readers titled “Visualize a Vibrant New Lifestyle After 60.”

How Do You Define Self-Love?

To begin loving more of yourself, you will want to identify your beliefs about it. For how you define self-love is a direct reflection to how you create your lifestyle.

For me, I define self-love in my 70s quite differently from how I used to perceive it.

There was a time in my adulthood that I believed putting one’s self first was selfish. I also looked at self-care as more of an indulgence than a necessity for living a quality life.

Today those beliefs are a distant memory. After all that I have experienced from my 50s to my 70s, I have personally come to define self-love as the following:

• Self-love is a natural extension of who and what you are.
• Self-love is a daily practice of nurturing your self-esteem and valuing yourself.
• Self-love is developing a positive relationship with yourself.
• Self-love is having forgiveness, compassion, and empathy for yourself and others.
• Self-love is setting and maintaining healthy boundaries with yourself and others.
• Self-love is prioritizing your well-being above any and all distractions.
• Self-love is an unconditional acceptance of your worthiness and deservingness of love, regardless of your age, gender, cultural background, or life experiences.

I invite you to either add to this list or create your own according to your personal values and perceptions of self-love.

8 Steps to Apply Self-Love to Your Dream Lifestyle

In two decades of researching and writing about self-love, I have come to realize there is no one-size-fits-all approach to loving yourself, especially in our 60s and beyond. There are, however, many replicable and transferable steps to loving yourself that can be effective for everyone.

Here are eight essential steps for applying self-love to your dream lifestyle that have worked wonders for me and others. May they do the same for you.

Gratitude Reflection

Establish time each day to reflect on and journal three (or more) things you are grateful for in your life. They can be simple pleasures or significant moments. Emphasize gratitude for your body, experiences, relationships, and personal accomplishments.

Future Self-Affirmations

Replacing limiting beliefs with new, more empowering beliefs is a vital part of self-love. But where most people stumble on their path to self-love is getting those new beliefs to stick. Future Self-Affirmations help bridge the gap between who you are now and who you are becoming. Here is one of my personal favorites: “I am already living my dream life, and every day it unfolds effortlessly.”Say it with conviction and look yourself in the eyes, as this strengthens self-acceptance and confidence.

Mirror Affirmations

Every morning, and throughout the day, stand in front of a mirror and look into your own eyes. Start off with positive affirmations about yourself and lifestyle, such as “I am loving”, “I am beautiful,” “I am delighted with my life.”Once you are comfortable accepting these, mix things up and start reciting your new Future Self-Affirmations in front of a mirror.

Body Appreciation

Rather than dwell on perceived limitations, celebrate what your body can do. Express genuine appreciation for how your body is your personal vehicle to experience the lifestyle of your dreams.

Reflection on Achievements

Make a list of your achievements throughout your life, both big and small. Lovingly reflect on the challenges you have overcome and the strengths you have developed to create positive changes in your lifestyle.

Be More Playful Through Creativity

Creativity and playfulness, when combined, are a potent combination for not only loving yourself, but also actualizing your dream lifestyle. Playfulness is a self-love practice that invites you to approach a new lifestyle with a sense of curiosity, wonder, and joy, each of which is an integral part of how you naturally express your creativity.

Laughing More

Laughter is your #1 medicine for remedying what may be ailing you on an emotional, mental, and creative level. The more you laugh the easier it is to sustain self-love practices that directly lead to your dream lifestyle.

Setting and Maintaining Healthy Boundaries

Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries is an essential and lifelong practice of self-love. It also helps create a well-balanced connection between your needs, wants, and desires.

Self-love is not a chore but an essential part of your lifestyle. Therefore, remember to be patient with yourself as this is not an overnight transformation.

I invite you to join me in the video above where I share “Top 10 Reasons Self-Love Matters to Your Lifestyle”. I will also share how I reinvigorated my life in my 70s through self-love following the devastating death of my beloved husband, Joe.  

Next Steps

In our final article and video in this 12-part series, you will learn “7 Steps to Create a Playful Lifestyle After 60”.

Let’s Talk:

What does self-love mean to you? What does it look like in your life? How do you apply self-love to create your ideal lifestyle?