Self Love Quotes: 40+ Inspiring Self Love Captions & Poems

Image Credits - Brandon Woelfel 

The concept of self-love is thrown around from lips to ears to lips too often, and sometimes it could feel like the worn-out wheels of a cycle that has been paddled for too long. To some of us, the idea of self-love and the impact of self-love quotes and self-love captions & poems in our lives might have lost meaning. In a world populated with speeches on what to do and what not to do to love yourself better, you and I can often end up confused about what self-love really looks like and how self-love can reflect on your soul. 

Some modern poets, empaths and philosophers have got the idea of self-love right. If you are a hoarder of timeless love quotes from movies, take some time out to shift your focus to self-love quotes. We are knocking on the doors of your heart with love and delivering some of our favourite poems about self-love and self-love quotes and sayings, because we all need inspiring love quotes now, more than ever. 

Self Love Quotes & Poems

Image Credits: Brandon Woelfel 

Modern-day poets have made love poems and self-love poems more accessible with their regular posts on Instagram pages. Some of the most popular authors like Rupi Kaur, Lang Leav, and Christopher Poindexter are making this world a better place to live in by sharing the importance of self-love, kindness and sharing the spirit of finding yourself even if your heart has been shattered by an unexpected storm. Scroll down to go through our list of self-worth and self-love poems that can bring a smile to your face and help you see the silver lining.

"There are over 200 bones inside of me, packed with marrow. All this life, teeming under my skin. This body is an ecosystem, and I am the creator." - Alannah Radburn 

Alannah Radburn takes us to the depth of self-love and drives the point of loving our bodies home. It is not self-love if you are constantly looking for ways to change your body. Striving for something you want to achieve is growth, but hating what you have and wanting to change it, is the exact opposite of self-love. Nothing explains the magic of our bodies quite as loud as this Alannah Radburn poetry.

"And now it is time to put yourself first. Let go of all the bad times. Switch off the negativity. Focus on your goals. Reach for the moon. Do whatever pleases you - you are the master of your own destiny." - Credits: Deepwoundsxx

If you have wandered from door to door, looking for an explanation of where your life is going and what your future holds for too long, stop right there and take a long look at yourself. Your vision, your tenacity and your goals are all that matter. You have it in you. Let this beautiful self-love quote help you believe that you can write your destiny.

"Of course, there are so many who envy you, darlin. You make shit happen, you don't quit, and a world that is addicted to excuses doesn't understand your beautiful action." - JmStorm 

Of course, there are so many who envy you, darling, you do not back down if challenges put together a mountain in between you and your goals. Do not let the envy and hate from others impact your judgement of yourself. You are doing nothing wrong if you are grinding and winning. Allow the magical words on self-love quote from JM Storm's Instagram to help you believe in your potential and keep moving forward.

"Look down at your body, whisper, there is no home like you. Thank You" - Rupi Kaur

Sometimes all you need is a short self-love quote by Rupi Kaur to water the dried out branches of your self-worth. Let her beautiful words about accepting self-worth sink in, allow the words to heal you. You have no reason to be ashamed of your body, there will never be another safer home for your soul.

"Here's to the women that had the strength to lift the roots from underneath them and plant their wounded hearts facing a new light." - Wattney

Here’s a heartfelt self-love quote/caption about happiness from Wattney to all the women who showed courage when they were dragged through the worst phases of life. Let her words fill you with strength and positivity. You can do this and no one can stop you from shining bright!

"The death of a dragon is not required for an act of bravery. There is courage in the everyday battle." - Alannah Radburn 

If you have grown up, gliding through the pages of fantasy novels, you might have resorted to the belief that it takes a dragon battle or something of that magnitude to display true courage. We could not have expressed this as beautifully as Alannah Radburn. This beautiful short self-love quote tells you how courageous it is to wake up the next morning and show up for the people you love when the past few nights have been difficult for you.

"And some days I forget, what it is to be gentle with myself - how to look at myself with kind eyes and speak to myself with soft words. Forget that I am my home and a temple worthy of worship." - Becca Lee

Sometimes cute quotes of love are not enough. Self-worth and self-love quotes are incomplete without the advice of showing kindness to yourself. Love yourself enough to appreciate your little acts of courage. You do not need to seek validation from others to know if you are worthy of their respect.

"I am sorry, but this is my time. The time I choose to be selfish. The time that I need to turn within to tend and nurture - to bear white flags across the battlefield that I have allowed my body to become. I have turned away (inwards) not because I have any less love for the world around me, but because I am focusing on finding more love for myself." - Becca Lee

Draw the line between your love for the world and you. Give time to the needs of your body and take a pause and rest if that is what your body needs. We had to add this to our list because we do not come across self-love poems that give enough importance to ‘me time’ every day.

"Here's to the empaths. To the emotional artists. To the ones whose outlet is simply feeling. You are braver than you know." - Christopher Poindexter 

Christopher Poindexter, the bohemian poet whose words have set some major love and relationship goals, delivers a beautiful quote about self-love for the empathetic souls. Empaths have beautiful souls. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

"I do not need the kind of love, that is draining. I want someone who energises me." - Rupi Kaur 

They often say that you cannot find the love that you are worthy of if you don’t love yourself enough. This self-love poetry by Rupi Kaur emphasises a man and woman's journey to self-love and finding a partner that fills you with love instead of draining you. We hope you are taking notes!

"Protect yourself from your own thoughts." - Rumi Quotes 

Overthinking can be the death of self-love sometimes. Agree? No one adds spiritual connotations to their messages as beautifully as the famous Islamic scholar and poet Rumi. Control your thoughts, sometimes they run back to the past and rip open your old wounds. Sometimes, they chase unsaid words and meanings of things can create a false scenario in your head. Don’t let overthinking ruin things for you.

"My Dear, make self-love your religion and never stop practicing it." - Becca Lee

We found this while rummaging through images of self-love quotes and self-love captions and we cannot keep calm. So much conjecture about making love for your religion in the world, but people seldom talk about the role of self-love in it. Thanks to author Becca Lee for shedding light on this so beautifully. Make yourself love your religion and never stop practising it.

"The way you speak of yourself, the way you degrade yourself into smallness is abuse." - Self-Harm, Rupi Kaur 

Mental abuse can be of two types. While we tend to emphasise the kind that is inflicted on us by others’ words and actions, mental abuse is often, also our wrongdoing. You are your biggest abuser if you have been degrading yourself too much in your eyes and questioning your ability and worth to do things. This love yourself quote by Rupi Kaur explains what self-love means, beautifully. 

"What makes your heart smile? Yeah. Do more of that."

The first step to self-love is acknowledging the things that make you happy. Identify the people and the things that make you smile and brighten your day, make them a regular part of your life. Let the negativity go.

"Don't waste a second of your time convincing other people, you are worth loving." - Atticus Poetry 

We invest a lot of time and thought to understand and build our worth in others’ eyes and life. More often than not, beautiful souls find themselves trapped in the clutches of depression when they are made to believe that they are not worthy of another person’s love. The power of this love yourself quote by famous modern-day poet, Atticus, has a beautiful and deep message for those who have left their worth at other people’s discretion.

"Focusing on taking care of yourself and doing the best you can, versus judging yourself is how you take your power back." - Lalah Delia 

Don’t judge your abilities, believe in them. Faith in yourself makes a lot of difference when you are navigating challenging times. This self love quote is a beautiful reminder of how the power lies in your mind.

"Self-care is also loving your quarantine weight." - Lalah Delia 

Staying in home arrest during the lockdown times has disrupted our daily routines and ruined our regular self care activities. If you have gained a few pounds because you missed the gym and ate too many cakes and cookies during the lockdown, continue to feed your soul with whatever makes you happy and quit judging your extra kilos or bushy eyebrows through the lockdown. After all, we are all in this together.

"The hardest step we all must take is to blindly trust in who we are." - Atticus Poetry

We all go through the phases in life when our faith on our self dwindles. We question our hard work, and perseverance when failure hits us hard and sometimes we lose faith in who we are and what our potential in life is! This Atticus quote is a note to self-love for those who need this reminder right now. 

"People will do all they can to reduce you, make you lesser than you are. But you have more than enough light, more than enough goodness to spare. They can take as much as they want, but it would be akin to scooping cupfuls of the ocean from someone like you. So, let them do their best and know despite all their efforts, they remain so impossible, so laughably small." - Lang Leav

There are not enough words to support and applaud Lang Leav for this message. Hatred and jealousy are real enemies of mankind and it's not always easy to sail through life with people who want the worse for you. We are all going through struggles and no one deserves to be pulled down by others, this message is so strong and brave!

"If it's out of your hands, it deserves freedom from your mind too." - Ivan Nuru

Overthinking is evil. Don't we all agree? We cannot hold on to our thoughts about things that we can't control. The truth is some things are out of hands and regretting them, letting them break us down and feel helpless ruins our mental health. This short self love quote is a beautiful reminder of the power of letting go. 

"Your greatest responsibility is to love yourself and to know you are enough" - Anonymous

Loving yourself through all your highs and lows often comes as a task. But to be able to embrace ourselves through every stage of life - to reward ourselves for the things we go through and appreciate our phases is an important part of self-love. This self-love quote is here to remind you that you are enough, irrespective of what life throws at you. To stand up everyday and tell yourself that you are enough is a responsibility you should not run from!

"If it costs you your peace, it's too expensive" - Jay Shetty

Mental peace is a very important aspect of your personal well-being. Everyday in life we come across situations that tend to agitate us or cause unrest. You must try to keep yourself away from these situations and if you have identified which circumstances cause you mental turmoil, make a mindful attempt to keep yourself aloof and detach from the situation.

"Treat yourself like someone you love" - Anonymous

To every person we have loved ever, we do our best for them. Endless efforts, investing time, putting our best foot forward to make things "work". But have you ever treated yourself the same? If the answer is no, it is time you start treating yourself like someone you love, my friend. You owe yourself endless efforts, pamper yourself because if not you then who! With every other person - be it your family, your partner or your friends; there is a looming fear of losing them. But it is only you who will be there for yourself through it all, and you deserve the love you give others.

"The journey isn't about becoming a different person. It's about loving who you are right now." - Suzanne Heyn

The process of healing is a long and conscious one. But if you ask us, it is worth every minute. The journey that you are set on, does not require you to be a different person - to be like someone you adore or to be like someone whose life intimidates you. There are stories about them we will never know and therefore, becoming them is a temporary haze. Your destination is about loving yourself as you are and the destination is accepting yourself just the way you are - and this journey starts today.

"One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn't have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see. Your body is your temple, it's your home, and you must decorate it." - Gabourey Sidibe

It is self realisation that goes a long way and when that comes your way, you are all set to love yourself. This self-love quote is a beautiful way to tell yourself to love yourself the way you are. If you start looking at yourself and realising how beautiful you are inside-out, there is no stopping you!

"The universe took its time on you/ crafted you precisely/ so you could offer the world/ something distinct from everyone else/ so when you doubt/ how you were created/ you doubt an energy greater than us both" - Rupi Kaur

Another beautiful self-love poem written by Rupi Kaur, talks about how great you are as a creation of the universe. You have been created by the universe for a greater purpose and if you doubt yourself - then you doubt the whole reason behind your existence. It is unfair to doubt the universe, that is an energy greater than us all. So love yourself and do what it takes to appreciate the bigger cause behind your existence. 

"If it is meant for me, I will have it. If it isn't, I'm prepared to receive something even better" - Seconds Apart

One of the best ways to achieve better mental health and take a step forward when it comes to self-love, making peace with your surrounding is crucial. If you look every situation with a positive perspective, then hope rises in you and keeps you going towards greater goals. However, making peace need not mean being forcefully happy, it usually means to work for something that will make you happy with a more buoyant attitude. 

"Self-love comes with a great deal of forgiveness." - Anonymous

More than a self-love quote, this is also a very common self-love saying popular among the millennial generations. Self-love does come with a great deal of forgiveness. You find yourself making compromises, you find yourself being too demanding, you even think you are unlovable for committing a certain act. But in the end it is all about forgiving yourself and growing out of it. A catterpillar needs to leave the cuccoon to become a butterfly after all, it is a natural process. Do not carry the burden of your past mistakes with you, every rising sun is a new opportunity to embrace yourself and love yourself.

"Love yourself first, because that's who you'll be spending the rest of your life with." - Anonymous

Loving yourself doesn’t mean you won’t come across people who will try to mistreat you, but by caring for, and actively treating yourself with grace, love and kindness you will recognise when someone else does not. ⁣You break, you build; you feel sad, you make it better for yourself - it is you who needs to love yourself most because you will be spending so much more time with yourself and your thoughts when the rest of the world will fall apart or be busy healing themselves from their own struggles.

"You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say." - Paulo Coelho

Your heart has a way of telling you what is right and what is not. And you might often find yourself in a space where you want to shut your heart out and do it anyway - DON'T. Your heart is always going to be all about yourself so listen to your heart and act accordingly - do not prioritise anything above your heart.

"Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It's about accepting all of yourself." - Tyra Banks

Though self-love is a holistic approach to loving yourself in all your shapes, sizes and circumstances; self-love has very little to do with your external appearance. While you focus on maintaining a certain outer appearance to like yourself better, you must not ignore the crux of self-love – to love what you are on a deeper level.

"You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realising who you are at the deepest level." - Eckhart Tolle

You cannot always escape circumstances and rearrange the happenings of your life for your comfort. But if you have a deeper understanding of yourself you will be empowered to handle every situation more adeptly. This self-love quote is a reminder for you to start identifying with your inner self and understanding yourself.

"But we cannot simply sit and stare at our wounds forever." - Haruki Murakami

We all have wounds that shape us - shape the way we approach life every day. But does that mean we simply sit and stare at our wounds forever? No, that will only make you feel low and hurt you. Instead take your time to heal, in whatever ways possible. Come out stronger. Haruki Murakami is one of the best novelists of our times and his self-love quote is a great way to pull yourself out of the dungeon.

"Loving yourself isn't vanity, it's sanity." - Katrina Mayer

When Geet from Jab We Met says, "Main apni favourite hu", with sparkly eyes - it wasn't toxic self-obsession. Instead, it was a reminder to self that there can be nothing more important than your own self. Loving yourself is not arrogance or pride, it is a step ahead in mindfulness and acceptance. This will help you frame your ways better in life.

"Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball

Prioritising yourself over everything else is of utmost importance. You must have heard the flight attendants announce "Make sure your own oxygen mask is in place before helping your fellow passenger." The exact theory is applicable in real life too. You need to make sure you are doing good and that you are loving yourself before you try to fix the world.

"Love of self and love of life connects is with the prosperity of the Universe. Self-love creates self-expression and allows us to be creative in deeply fulfilling ways." - Louise Hay

Self-love quotes help you grasp your situation better. Loving yourself and loving the life you are living is a way to be happier and therefore succeed in life. The moment you start loving yourself and your life, you will realise opportunities start flowing and your positive attitude is guaranteed. Even at times when you feel it is hard to love the life you are leading, you can try to remind yourself of what you deserve and work towards it - one step at a time.

"Surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel, energies are contagious." - Rachel Wolchin

Rachel Wolchin has hit the right notes with this self-love quote right here. You need to surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you - people who inspire you to be a better version of yourself. Energy, or what the millennials call "vibe", is a legit fact based on which you pick friends or even your partner. Cleanse your vibe and attract the right tribe. 

"Flowers grow back even after the harshest winters. You will too." - Jennae Cecelia

If something as delicate as a flower can grow even after teh harsh winter trails leave them trampled, you, our sher, are the strongest of all! Keep reminding yourself that even if the times are low and hard right now, you will see better days - because you're the flower that will bloom after the harshest winter. Life goes in a cycle, and if you keep telling yourself this is the lowest that a low can be in your life, come what may, you will rise from the ashes like a phoenix, again and again.

"It is okay to outgrow people, places, things." - Anonymous

You might call this a truth bomb, more than a self-love quote. Because it is essential to learn to let go. The art of letting go is a mandate when you have to grow. Loving yourself in a toxic relationship can be hard. Loving yourself in a city where you feel lonely is tough. Loving yourself in certain circumstances can be more difficult than others and that is why, learning to let go is momentous. You are your best cheerleader, and if this self love quote moves you, you are there love.

Image Courtesy: Brandon Woelfel 

Author and poet, Rupi Kaur, is renowned for her classic love quotes and poetry. In her book, Milk and Honey, she quotes, “How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” Has it ever crossed your mind, that people take you for granted when you let them? It is easier for them to walk all over you when you do not take a stand for yourself and allow them to take you for granted. We hope these quotes on self love will remind you of your worth and help you look at yourself in a brighter light.

We hope these images of self love quotes and poems will fill you with hope and positivity. Start believing in your potential and focus on the little things that brighten up your day. You alone have the power to determine your worth. 

If you have a loving partner who never forgets to remind you of how special you are, make a list of some special romantic love quotes for him and fill his mornings with little love notes tucked inside his pillow or bedside table.

-With words by Rumela Sen.