30 Days of Self-Love: How I Started Accepting My Body and Changing My Life

Hi, I’m Karoline. A couple of months ago, I started doing something I’d never fully done before—I started really, truly working on loving myself. Not just saying it, not just posting quotes about it, but doing the real, raw, uncomfortable work of accepting myself as I am. And in the process of that journey, I learned something that changed everything.

This wasn’t just about loving my personality or accepting my quirks. It wasn’t about making peace with the mistakes I’ve made or giving myself grace for the hard things I've been through—although those things are important, too.

What I realized was that I needed to accept my body.

Facing the Mirror: My Wake-Up Call

Now, let me be honest. My body right now is not what you’d call “ideal” by society’s standards. It’s heavy. It’s uncomfortable. It has physical limitations that affect my day-to-day life. But the hardest part isn’t just the weight. It’s how I’ve felt about my appearance for so many years.

I realized I’ve been avoiding myself. Avoiding seeing myself fully. I’d become so used to just glancing in the mirror and only seeing myself from the shoulders up. That was my comfort zone. I could live with that version of me. But anything below that? That was a “nope.”

My stomach, my back, my arms… I didn’t want to see them. I didn’t want to face them. So I didn’t.

But part of this healing journey meant finally seeing myself—all of me. Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. I knew that in order to truly love myself, I had to stop hiding from myself.

Inspired by a Simple Practice

One tool that helped me immensely came from a video by Maria La Puma. She suggested something so simple yet powerful: as you put lotion on your body, speak to it with kindness. Thank it. Apologize to it. Tell it you love it.

“I love you. Thank you. I appreciate everything you do for me. I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you.”

Something shifted for me when I started doing that. At first, it was emotional. I cried. But it was healing. I started connecting to my body in a way I never had before. I started talking to it with love, with gentleness. Like it was something worthy of compassion.

And then something else happened. I remembered a scene from the movie Avatar. The characters greeted each other by saying, “I see you.” Not just, “I physically see you,” but “I acknowledge you. I honor you.” That stayed with me.

I realized—I needed to see myself. Truly see myself. Not with criticism or shame, but with love. This is exactly what Sonya Renee Taylor talks about in her book The Body is Not an Apology. You can check it out by following the link below (*paid link):

A 30-Day Self-Love Challenge Was Born

So, I started my own self-love challenge. For 30 days, I stood in front of a full-length mirror. I looked at myself. I took a photo each day to keep myself accountable. I talked to myself—sometimes gently, sometimes through tears.

The first few days were hard. I didn’t last long in front of the mirror. The pain of all the years of judgment, shame, and neglect bubbled to the surface. But I kept showing up. I kept talking. I kept seeing.

And slowly… things changed.

I could stand there longer. I could speak to myself with more ease. I wasn’t trying to “fix” myself. I was just showing up and being present. And that alone was incredibly powerful.

Learning to Separate Myself From My Body

Here’s something that might sound odd, but helped me deeply: I had to mentally separate myself from my body to be able to love it better.

I realized I had built up so many faulty beliefs—lies, really—about my worth, my appearance, and my value. And those beliefs made it easy to mistreat myself.

But when I imagined my body as something a little separate from me—as something I was entrusted with, like a divine gift—I started treating it differently. I started treating it with care, like I would treat a loved one.

It reminded me of a phrase I heard: “We are divine beings having a human experience.” I believe that. And I realized… my body is the vessel that’s carrying me through this life. How have I been treating that vessel?

Real Love Leads to Real Change

As I continued my self-love journey, the results weren’t just emotional—they were physical, too.

I gained confidence. Real confidence. Not from a number on a scale, but from loving myself with no conditions. I started holding myself the way I would comfort a child. With kindness, gentleness, and compassion.

That love led to action—not out of punishment, but out of care.

I started wanting to take care of my body.

I wanted to move it. I wanted to nourish it. I started exercising regularly—not because I “had” to, but because I wanted to. I missed it when I skipped it. I felt more grounded when I moved my body.

I also began eating better. Not for weight loss. Not out of guilt. But because I wanted to feel better. I wanted to reduce the inflammation in my body that had been flaring up. I wanted to give my body foods that helped, not harmed.

The Power of Listening to My Body

For a long time, I’d thought about doing an elimination diet to figure out which foods were triggering inflammation. But the idea felt overwhelming. Restrictive. Harsh. I couldn’t do it—until now.

Because now I wasn’t doing it out of self-judgment. I was doing it out of love.

So I started cutting out wheat, dairy, and sugar—just as an experiment. And for once, I didn’t feel deprived. I felt empowered. Free. Because I was finally listening to my body and giving it what it needed.

The Unexpected Weight Loss (That Wasn't the Goal)

And yes—because I know people will ask—there was weight loss.

Over the 30 days, I lost 10 pounds. But more than that, I lost emotional weight. Shame. Guilt. Judgment. And I gained love, confidence, and connection.

And here’s the kicker: I wasn’t dieting. I wasn’t counting anything. I wasn’t punishing myself. I was loving myself.

That love changed everything.

What I’ve Learned—and What I Want You to Know

This 30-day self-love challenge changed my life. And the biggest thing I learned is this:

When you love yourself, real change happens.

When you treat yourself with compassion, things shift.

When you give yourself the same love you give everyone else, you begin to thrive.

So if you’re reading this and you’re struggling to accept your body, your past, or your present—please hear me:

You are not alone.

You are not broken.

You are not beyond healing.

You are worthy of love. Right now. As you are.

Start seeing yourself. Start speaking to yourself with kindness. Start giving yourself grace. And keep doing it—even if it feels awkward, even if it makes you cry, even if you don’t believe it yet.

Because love—real love—takes root over time.

And you? You’re worth it.

Try Your Own 30-Day Self-Love Challenge

Here’s what you can do:

• Stand in front of a mirror daily.
• Speak kind words to your body.
• Thank your body for everything it does.
• Apologize for past neglect or criticism.
• Document your process—journaling or photos.
• Reflect on how you feel after 30 days.

Our Refinements Goal Trackers can help keep you on track with your own personal challenge. Click the picture below to find out more...

 

 

Remember, this isn’t about weight loss. This is about healing your relationship with yourself. And that’s the foundation for all meaningful, lasting change.

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