Loving yourself for who you are, and caring for yourself both physically and mentally, can often seem overwhelming or even selfish. But pay no heed to the naysayers, and learn to love yourself despite all the negativity life throws at you. Here is what the greats have to say when it came to self-care:

Oprah Winfrey on being there for yourself:

Oprah tells us to always work on yourself since we are the only ones who can have our own backs and are always going to be there by our sides. In order to do so, one must also learn to expect less from other people in terms of love and support.

There are times in our lives when we feel like there is no one there for us. That no one can truly understand us or support us. During moments like these, one must realize that it is them, and them alone, who wish the best for themselves. So always put in the effort to support yourself, rest when you must, and stand up for yourself when its time to bare your teeth.

Joshua Hoenhe/Unsplash. We are gifted with two hands to help ourselves and to help others.

Maya Angelou on helping others:

According to Maya Angelou, God blessed us with two hands so that we can help ourselves with one hand and support others with the other hand.

Uplifting others through any means possible, while also working on growing yourself, is something we all must strive for. Only by uplifting others and coming to their aid in times of need can we all grow together, and create a better world for ourselves and the generations to come.

Jessica Delp/Unsplash. Take a retreat to recharge yourself and come back stronger,

Cecilia Tran on rest and retreat:

Self-love is not just about growing and hustling. At times, it also means the we stop, rest and recharge for the path ahead.

We are often under the impression that resting and doing nothing is lazy, and bad for our self-development. But nothing is more detrimental to our mental and physical health than getting exhausted with the struggles we face on a daily basis. It is important that we identify when we should lay low, relax and let go of things, only to ‘reassemble our troops,’ if you will, take charge and leap forward.

Ben White/Unsplash. To be humble is one way to show that you are full of self-love.

Sanaya Roman on humility:

The people who truly love themselves are always, all-forgiving, inclusive, and down to Earth. They are loving and kind because the confidence they have in themselves enables them to feel strong and in charge.

Self-love is often deemed as a selfish move, when in reality, the more you love yourself, the more love you have to give to other people. You don’t feel threatened by the people around you and have empathy and kindness for all.