Whether you’re single or have a SO, it’s safe to say you probably have love on your mind a lot this month. This Valentine’s Day, try to love yourself! It’s all too easy to look out for others while rarely or never taking time for yourself, which leads to feeling burnt out… and that’s NEVER fun. So I’ve brainstormed ways to care for yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and socially during this month of love!
1. Go for a long walk
It’s still a little chilly, but we’ve had a few days of beautiful weather this month. It’s already beginning to feel like spring! So don’t sit indoors under flourescent lights, breathing stale air. Take a walk along the Iowa River or head over to one of your favorite bookstores or coffeeshops and treat yourself. Pet all the dogs you see—with permission from their owners, of course! Take pictures of the sky, so you’ll always remember how pretty the clouds looked. Play Pokémon Go. Stretch those legs, and get some fresh air! I know that around this time of year, my exercise routine is starting to fall apart from being so busy with homework, extracurriculars and everything else, so getting a bit of exercise, as mild as it may be, makes me feel better.
2. Make time in your schedule to reread a favorite book, rewatch a favorite movie or practice an old hobby
By this time in the semester, I’ve repeated my daily routine of waking up early, going to class, studying for hours and going to bed enough times that I’m bored out of my mind, and my motivation is starting to falter. Clearly, this would be a good time to do something different! Make sure to carve out some time to do something because you love to do it, not just because you have to do it. Reread a favorite book or rewatch a favorite movie or TV show—something that makes you feel relaxed and nostalgic! Or practice an old hobby, whatever that may be! Clear the cobwebs from your brain and do something that doesn’t normally make it into your everyday schedule.
3. List how you feel right here, right now
Grab a pen or pencil and a piece of paper and write down every emotion that you feel right now. Then try to figure out why you feel that way and what you can do about it. Write that down, too! And then get to work! I’ve started doing this recently, and it is so helpful. If you feel stressed, and you realize that the reason you feel this way is because you’ve been procrastinating on your part of a huge group project, start on some small chunk of it so that you know you’ve made at least a little progress. If you’ve been feeling sad, try to pinpoint why, and see if there’s anyone willing to listen to you talk about it.
This works with positive emotions, too, by the way, not just negative ones. If you’re happy, ask yourself why. Take the answer you come up with and try to apply it in your life more often!
4. Catch up with a friend you haven’t seen in a long time
This list may be all about how to take care of yourself this February, but that doesn’t mean that other people can’t be involved! Even introverts can get lonely after a while, so no matter your personality, be sure to spend time with the people you love! Maybe keep it lowkey and hang out one-on-one with someone you haven’t really spent much time with in a while. It’ll feel extra special because not only are you spending time with a friend, you’re with someone you’ve been dying to hang out with!
More than anything, I want you to know that you don’t have to save these things for Valentine’s Day or even the month of Feburary! You can do them any time of year, whether you’re single or taken, whether you feel great or under the weather! Here’s to loving ourselves a little more in 2017!