Valentine's Day is oftentimes viewed as one of those "Hallmark Holidays" where couples spend a lot of money on romantic gifts, dinner, and gestures for one another. According to Forbes.com, the average American was anticipated to spend $175.41 per person in 2022, which came to a total estimate of about $23.9 Billion (with a B) for the United States alone!
But where does all of that money and energy leave YOU? Making someone else in your life feel special and loved is an important aspect of any relationship, and yet we tend to overlook the most important relationship that we have in our lives -- ourselves (the relationship we have with ourselves). When we treat ourselves well, there is the trickle down effect, of treating others well, too.
Self-Love is a term that has been making the rounds and becoming a more popular topic of discussion in recent years, but what is it really? Self-love is more than just loving yourself, it is about having the ability to accept yourself for who you are, acknowledging your strengths AND weaknesses, and ultimately to be kind to yourself. Easier said than done, I know. Self-love is all about the way that you view and treat yourself everyday.
Okay, so how does one actually put this into practice? "Be Kind To Yourself" is pretty vague and there are many ways that you can do this.
Here are 10 simple ways you can start practicing Self-Love:
Forgive yourself and others
Set a boundary or limit
Find something positive to say about yourself
Go after things that you enjoy (a craft or hobby)
Do something to support your health (like eat a delicious meal, exercise)
Ask someone for help
Write in a journal about your day (good or bad)
Give yourself a gift
Stop criticizing yourself
Spend time in nature
Once you get the hang of some of these things, you may notice a greater sense of self and improved mood. When you set aside time for yourself, like some of the ways mentioned above, you are filling up your cup. When your cup is full, you are more capable of completing tasks, responding to stress in healthy ways, and engaging with others more frequently.
Now that I know what to do, how often should I be doing these things? Well, let me ask you this--does your partner or your children need to feel your love just every once in a while, or every single day? I hope you said "every single day", because you would be right! In fact, the more often you show yourself compassion, the better you are going to feel.
Some things to consider when you start practicing self-love:
Make reasonable changes
Set realistic expectations
Start small (don't try to do too many things at once)
Be consistent with your changes
Don't be too hard on yourself
Give yourself time
So, this Valentine's Day, whether you have someone to spend the day with or not, do not forget to show yourself some much needed love, this day and everyday.