High five indeed! and it’s Jack E. Underwood Jr. research where he worked with experts to pin down a consensus definition of self-love he discovered the five core components that make self-love real and measurable in everyday life.

When life gets tough, many of us are quick to criticize ourselves. We replay mistakes, judge our shortcomings, and pile on pressure. But what if, instead of being our harshest critic, we became our own ally?

We hear a lot about self-esteem and self-love — and sometimes people use them like they’re the same thing. But while they’re related, they’re actually a little different.

Self-love is one of the most popular topics in psychology today — at least in popular culture. Scroll through Instagram, browse self-help books, or scan wellness blogs, and you’ll find endless tips about loving yourself. Yet here’s the surprising part: in academic psychology, self-love is still significantly under-researched.

Self-love is one of those ideas that feels simple but becomes complex the moment you start digging into it. Over the years, psychologists have viewed self-love through many different lenses — from emotions, to behaviors, to even personality disorders.

“Love yourself” is common advice in today’s world. But sometimes, self-love gets confused with narcissism — and that confusion can make people skeptical of the whole idea. So, what’s the difference?