Valentine’s Day is most associated as a holiday dedicated to couples expressing their love towards one another, whether it be through a grand gesture or a small action that shows their appreciation for a loved one. Although all around us we might be bombarded with expressions of love for others from the media that we see to the people that we encounter in our everyday lives, it’s equally important to celebrate the most important relationship in our lives, the one we have with ourselves.
1. Don’t Forget to be Kind to Yourself
It’s important to treat yourself with the same kindness and love you show to others. Recognize your flaws without judgment. Part of being human is to make mistakes and grow from them. Everyone faces challenges in their lives in one way or another and so self-improvement is the key to bettering not only your relationships with others but the ones with yourself. This reminds me of the popular saying “How can you expect to love someone if you can’t love yourself?” It shows that having self-compassion will only better your journey to self-love and improvement.
2. Create a Self-Care Routine I believe it’s important to pamper and cater to yourself every once and a while and this can range from getting a facial to curling up next to your favourite book with a hot cup of tea. No matter how you do it, dedicating time to yourself will rejuvenate not only your mind but your body. Doing activities that bring you joy while also calming your mind can do wonders!
3. Setting Boundaries
Learning to say no is an important part of caring about your mental and physical well-being. Being able to say no to people or situations that don’t serve you will end up protecting you as well. Setting boundaries is one of the most important and hardest steps to self-love. By creating clear boundaries, you don’t allow yourself to be walked all over and prevent yourself from being worn out. I’ve found that aligning my needs and desires with what will benefit me, in the long run, has worked out perfectly in my favour.
4. Surround yourself with Positivity
Surround yourself with people who contribute positively to your life. Evaluate your relationships and create an environment with people who only support and uplift your well-being. To elevate yourself, the people around you must want to do the same. Eliminating negativity in your life gives you room to breathe and be yourself.
5. Focus on Your Personal Growth
Dedicating time to personal development, I’ve found, is worthwhile in terms of getting to better understand yourself. Investing in yourself can happen through taking up a hobby, journaling or taking on a new personal challenge. Committing to your improvement will only show positive results allowing you to thrive in all aspects of your life.
6. Celebrate Yourself, You Deserve It!
Recognize your strengths and all of the challenges you’ve worked through. Don’t disregard them but acknowledge your feats no matter how big or small and celebrate all that you’ve accomplished. Celebrating yourself helps remind yourself of your worth and how worthy you are of recognition and love. Valentine’s Day is the best time to do this because it’s a day to celebrate love in all its forms. It’s also a way to remind yourself that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Be proud of yourself!
7. Take the Time to Self-Reflect
Spend time reflecting on your thoughts and emotions. Be mindful and create a deeper connection with yourself. This can be done through journaling or any other expressive form of writing. Through this practice, it may become a tool in your self-discovery. I’ve found this to help me navigate my emotions and in turn, better understand myself. Get some paper and some colourful pens and try it!
This Valentine’s Day, consider prioritizing yourself and working on the most important relationship in your life: the one you have with yourself. Following these steps, I believe that you can embark on a journey of self-love that will teach you a multitude of things about yourself. This will lead you to want to learn more about yourself for more than this holiday.