With the season of love in full swing, let’s talk about love. If you’re anything like me, expressing affection towards those closest to you is a source of great joy. Personally, I find great happiness in baking for loved ones—witnessing their delight in what I have made, and making them feel special by dedicating time to bake something I know they will enjoy. For this reason, it’s no surprise that my kitchen becomes a hub of activity during this time of year.
However, amidst the gestures of love we extend to others, what about those we extend to ourselves? Normally, advertisements will inundate us with messages using us to show our significant others with affection during the Valentine’s season, but they tend to overlook a crucial aspect: self-love. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with expressing our love for others. Love is to be shared and not withheld. Still, just as we invest effort in showing care for others, it’s important to invest effort in showing ourselves. Also, this practice does not need to be confined to the Valentine’s season, it can be year-round.
Cultivating self-love doesn’t require extravagant gestures, they can be simple and inexpensive acts that still have a significant impact. For instance, writing love notes (or letters) to yourself and placing them in areas you frequent daily. These notes can be short and sweet yet impactful, reminding yourself of how incredible you are with affirmations like “You are so loved” or featuring quotes that will uplift your spirits. Whether it’s on your bathroom mirror, tucked in the pages of a book, or nestles among your belongings, these reminders serve as gentle affirmations of your value. And, imagine stumbling upon these notes unexpectedly. Wouldn’t it brighten your day?
I find that jotting down love notes for myself on post-its and placing them in various places only to stumble upon them days, weeks, or months later makes me very happy. One of my favorite quotes by Colombian writer J. Wailen and that always brightens my day whenever I see it says, “Y tú segue así, incomodando a toros con tu exceso de amor prop, con tu libertad y tus ganas de ser feliz,” which translates to, “And you continue like this, making others uncomfortable with your excess of self-love, with your freedom and your desire to be happy.” It serves as a reminder that self-love is not only acceptable but essential—not just during the season of love but every day. After all, who better to love than yourself?