Valentine’s Day is the day of love. Everyone goes out, flowers are impossible to find and it seems to always be centered around relationships. Whether you are single, in a committed relationship or just messing around take this Valentine’s Day to show yourself some love. We must learn to fall in love with ourselves not just on the Internet, but in real life. Saying you love yourself and believing it are two very different things. Loving ourselves is essential for happiness so here are a few ways you can fall in love with yourself this Valentine’s Day.
Do something nice for yourself
Take yourself out for lunch, get your nails done, buy yourself a new outfit; do whatever makes you feel good! You may recieve flowers from your SO but Valentine’s Day does not have to just be about your relationship with your SO. Include your relationship with yourself this Valentine’s Day. Show you how much you love you.
Forgive yourself for your mistakes
It is easy to beat yourself up over and over for your mistakes. This Valentine’s Day give yourself a break. Stop thinking about something you said five years ago. Stop worrying about things in your past that you aren’t proud of. Every day can be a fresh start. Stop hating yourself for your mistakes and what better day to than on the day of love.
Celebrate your successes
Celebrate your successes no matter how small. Maybe the only thing you did today was get out of bed, but celebrate that. Maybe today you got a promotion; celebrate that. Be your own biggest cheerleader and celebrate you this Valentine’s Day.
Embrace your flaws
Flaws are something everyone has. Nobody is perfect. When we look at ourselves in the mirror we tend to see everything we hate about ourselves. This Valentine’s Day embrace your flaws, love your curves and tell yourself your imperfections are not imperfect. Maybe this means buying a new piece of lingrie that makes you feel sexy. Maybe this means not straightening your curls. Embracing your flaws is one of the first steps to falling in love with you.
Say no
This sounds so simple. Just say no, but more often than not we find ourselves in situations where we feel like we can’t. One of the best things you can do for yourself is learn to say no. Say no to something you don’t want to do. Say no to doing for others what they can do for themselves. Say no to sacrificing yourself for everyone else. When you say no to something, you create the space to yes to yourself. Yes to what you need and yes to loving yourself.
Laugh at yourself
Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea of perfection that we forget to laugh. Especially when something embarrassing happens to us. Learning to laugh at yourself is a huge step to loving yourself. When you learn to laugh at yourself you learn that things don’t always have to be so serious. Be silly with yourself and live. Learning to laugh at your mistakes and quirks is an awesome way to practice self-acceptance.
Practice using positive affirmations
It is easy to make negative comments without even realizing it. This Valentine’s Day practice stopping the negative thoughts. Be mindful of what you are thinking and saying. Instead of saying I am alone, say I am surrounded by love even when I am alone. Boost yourself up with your thoughts. Loving yourself starts in your mind. Do be mean to yourself.