Many of us confuse self-care with self-love. We’re told that if we eat well, exercise regularly, sleep early, and avoid unhealthy habits like alcohol, we’re practicing self-love. But that’s only part of the picture, and I’ve come to understand this through my own journey.

For years, I followed all the rules of self-care—yet, I still felt a deep unhappiness and restlessness inside. It became clear that while I was nurturing my body, I was neglecting two other critical aspects: my mind and my soul.

Self Care is a component of self- love..The truth is, self-care focuses primarily on the outer aspects of self…the body. It’s essential, but it doesn’t address the full spectrum of what it means to be balanced and whole. To experience true happiness and inner peace, we must also care for our mind and soul. It s about going inwards..This involves managing our thoughts, being aware of our emotional patterns, and healing inner conflicts that have shaped how we view ourselves and the world.

Self-love, on the other hand, requires us to go deeper. It’s about facing our emotions, no matter how uncomfortable, and doing the hard work of healing from past trauma. It’s about being honest with ourselves, allowing our hearts to feel and our minds to quiet. This is where true self-love begins—with a spiritual connection to ourselves and our higher power.

My own routine has shifted to reflect this understanding. Now, I begin my days with prayer, meditation, and journaling. These practices center me, allowing me to tune into my emotions and thoughts before I focus on my physical health.

Without nourishing our hearts and souls, self-care becomes incomplete.…True self-love brings balance by integrating care for our mind, body, and spirit, leading to a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment.

The simple truth is there’s really no point us looking beautiful and handsome if we can’t love at the end of the day.. but in order to be able to love, we must have love within and that has to be nourished over a period of time..