Self-love, mindfulness, and personal growth are at the heart of The Mindful Living community, a space created by Jenny Renlund to support individuals in cultivating a balanced and fulfilling life. Through her work, Jenny helps people navigate self-doubt, overcome cognitive biases, and build resilience—all through a foundation of self-awareness and self-compassion.

Below Jenny shares her insights on the true meaning of self-love, the power of journaling, and how aligning with our values can lead to lasting transformation. Whether you’re new to self-care or looking to deepen your practice, her wisdom offers practical and inspiring ways to foster a stronger connection with yourself.

Self-love can sometimes feel like a buzzword. How would you personally define it, and why is it so important for creating lasting change in someone’s life?

Having a sense of self-worth and respecting ourselves is essential in everyday life, especially when striving for lasting change. Self-love is often misunderstood as simply indulging in spa treatments and facials, but in reality, it takes many forms.

Self-love means setting boundaries, staying accountable, taking care of our health and well-being, and respecting ourselves enough to make the right choices for us. It’s an act of self-care, but that doesn’t always mean doing what feels best in the moment. Rather, it’s about understanding what is best for us in the long run, in a holistic way. Sometimes, self-love is choosing to nourish our bodies instead of eating fast food, moving our bodies even when we’d prefer to stay on the sofa, or having a difficult conversation instead of avoiding it.

When we approach change from a place of self-love and acceptance, we find it easier to stay accountable to ourselves—because we recognise that we are making choices that truly serve us. This mindset fosters lasting transformation.

Your book, The Mindful Living Journal, discusses overcoming cognitive biases. How do these biases impact our ability to practise self-love, and how can we work through them?

Cognitive biases are unconscious and automatic processes that help us make decisions more efficiently. They are often shaped by our memories, beliefs, and perceptions. While biases aren’t inherently negative, if we remain unaware of them, they can work against us.

We cannot change what we are unaware of. A hidden bias can keep us stuck in limiting beliefs—such as feeling we’re not good enough—trapping us in a fixed mindset. To break these patterns, we must first cultivate awareness. Journaling is an excellent tool for uncovering our biases, beliefs, and recurring thoughts, allowing us to see them more clearly.

Reflecting on questions like these can help:

• Are any of my current thoughts or beliefs preventing me from making a change?
• Is there a particular negative thought that keeps resurfacing?
• If so, how would I like to reframe it? Write down the old thought and, next to it, a new thought you’d like to adopt.

This simple yet effective practice can initiate change—as long as we remain consistent.

Gratitude and self-love are both covered in The Mindful Living Journal. How do these two practices complement each other, and how can we incorporate them into daily life?

Gratitude has a profound impact on our well-being. By appreciating what we have and focusing on the positive, we shift our perspective, leading to a greater sense of contentment. Practising gratitude can help us feel more optimistic and reduce feelings of frustration, envy, and regret.

Self-love and gratitude together form a strong foundation for a fulfilling life. When we recognise our worth and prioritise our well-being, we naturally cultivate resilience, even in challenging times. My favourite quote is:

“Without gratitude, everything can feel like nothing. With gratitude, nothing can feel like everything.”

Was there a moment in your own life when you realised the importance of self-love or struggled with it yourself? How did you navigate that?

I truly understood the importance of self-love when I became seriously ill about seven years ago. I suffered from insomnia, a stomach ulcer, dysbiosis, and later underwent surgery for a wandering kidney. Struggling with chronic pain forced me to slow down and prioritise what was truly best for my body and mind.

It wasn’t an easy journey. As humans, we tend to dwell on the negative, and at times, I couldn’t understand why I still felt so unwell despite doing everything ‘right’—or at least, what I thought was right for me. It took years to cultivate genuine self-worth, self-love, and, most importantly, self-respect.

Respecting and loving myself meant making choices that prioritised my well-being, rather than compromising it for others. I incorporated small daily habits that aligned with my needs, and now, I hope to help others find their own path to self-care and balance.

Valentine’s Day often highlights romantic love, leaving some people feeling inadequate if they don’t have a partner. What advice would you give to someone struggling with this, and how can they redirect their focus towards self-love?

In Finland, Valentine’s Day is called Ystävänpäivä, which translates to Friends’ Day. Love exists in many forms—not just romantic love, but also the love we share with friends, family, and most importantly, ourselves.

If you’re struggling on Valentine’s Day, try shifting your focus from romantic love to love in all its expressions. Can you spend time with a friend and show them appreciation? If not, dedicate the day to yourself—engaging in activities that bring you joy and make you feel good.

Reframing our perspective is a powerful tool, even when it feels challenging.

Your book includes journaling exercises. Why do you believe journaling is such an effective tool for building self-awareness and self-love?

Research has consistently shown that journaling improves overall well-being. Writing down our thoughts acts as a ‘brain dump’, allowing us to process them more objectively rather than reacting emotionally. Over time, this helps us respond to situations more mindfully.

Journaling helps us focus, organise our thoughts, and gain clarity. It also encourages reflection on the positive aspects of life, reinforcing gratitude. These elements all work together—by deepening self-awareness, we gain a clearer understanding of what we need, allowing us to build a foundation of self-love, health, and well-being.

Defining values is a key theme in your book. How does knowing and aligning with our values help us build a stronger relationship with ourselves?

Our values are the core beliefs that shape our decisions and actions. Every day, we make countless choices—both big and small—and these decisions are often influenced by our values.

When we align our values with our daily habits, we create a strong internal framework, making it easier to take actions that truly resonate with us. This fosters confidence and clarity, helping us navigate life without being overly influenced by external pressures or societal expectations.

For someone new to self-love, what is one practical action they can take today to start nurturing it?

Ask yourself: What is one thing I can do today that will nourish me?

It doesn’t have to be big—just one small action that makes you feel good. Instead of focusing on what you want to change, shift your attention to what positive things you can add to your life. Over time, these small acts will accumulate, allowing self-love to grow naturally.

Affirmations and visualisations are part of your approach to transformation. Could you share an example that has been particularly impactful for you or your clients?

Affirmations and visualisations are powerful tools for creating change, often used by athletes and high performers to achieve goals. The brain struggles to distinguish between real experiences and vividly imagined ones—so by practising affirmations and visualisation, we can train our minds to believe in our success.

One of the most impactful moments I’ve seen with clients is their ability to perform under high pressure, thanks to proper mental preparation. When we take the time to visualise success and affirm our abilities, we develop greater self-confidence and resilience—enabling us to reach our full potential

If you could give one piece of advice to anyone wanting to feel more connected to themselves this Valentine’s Day, what would it be?

Take a moment to pause, reflect, and create awareness.

Getting to know yourself is one of the most valuable things you can do. When you establish a strong connection with yourself—understanding your values, priorities, and self-worth—life becomes more manageable. Challenges won’t disappear, but you’ll become more confident, resilient, and better equipped to handle them.

Your relationship with yourself is the most important one you’ll ever have—nurture it.

Jenny Renlund
The Mindful Living