February is here, and love is in the air. It's actually pretty hard to hide from love this time of year, especially when the shelves of every store are lined with hearts and other cheesy romantic things.
Although Valentine's Day can be a bit commercial, I love having a special day dedicated to showing my friends, family, and significant other how much I love them.
Whether you love Valentine's Day or hate it, this time of year is a perfect reminder to give yourself a little self-love.
Self-Love can sound like a cheesy thing. My first thought always goes to giving myself a big hug or something silly. However, self-love really boils down to the stuff you're doing every day to show yourself some love. Are you investing time and energy into yourself? Are you lifting yourself up? Are you as kind and giving to yourself as you are to the people you love? If not, Valentine's Day is a great time to start.
I'm not saying you have to buy yourself a card and box of chocolates. However, if it makes you feel good, then you definitely should.
If you need a few ideas for practicing self-love this Valentine's Day season, check out my suggestions below:
Investing in yourself is dedicating time or money to something that will give you a positive end result. There are many great ways to do this; start a savings account, sign up for a class or course, attend a workout class, talk with a counselor, etc.
Okay, so it may seem a bit weird at first, professing your love to yourself. However, once you get around the initial awkwardness of the situation, you may find this more beneficial than you thought. People tend to notice and focus on their flaws and things they wish they could change about themselves.
Writing a love letter to yourself creates the opportunity for you to reflect on the things that you like about yourself. It's also a great thing to keep and look back at the next time you're feeling discouraged.
Again, this may be a bit weird, but spending time alone and doing things that you enjoy is a great way to get to know yourself. Taking yourself on a date is an excellent opportunity to try new things, express your creativity, and make your own decisions with freedom from judgment or persuasion from others. When we do things with others, even loved ones, we have to consider their opinions and preferences when making decisions. Where would they like to eat? What movie would they prefer to see? Taking yourself on a date allows you to make decisions based solely on what you want without the guilt of feeling selfish.