Self-love is having an understanding and appreciation of your value, and treating yourself in a way that inspires happiness and joy. Self love can not only improve your physical and mental health, but it can deepen and have a positive impact on your relationships. In the words of Rupi Kaur - “How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.”
So while we wish you an abundance of love this Valentine’s Day, we also want you to fall in love with taking care of yourself. Not sure where to start? Here’s six ways you can start practicing self-love today.
Make Time For Mindful Moments
Practicing mindfulness can help you stay present, give you the confidence to take on new experiences and help you enjoy your day-to-day journey. Mindfulness is often considered a crucial aspect of self-love because it involves consciously bringing your attention to the present moment without judgment. Really focus on the “without judgment” part - because we are always our biggest critic.
Some examples can include focusing on your breath, disconnecting from social media, gratitude exercises, mindful eating and/or mindful activities such as cooking or listening to music. Check out our gut health article for meditation and mindfulness ideas.
Here is a quick 5-minute deep breathing exercise to get you started:
- Find a comfortable seated position.
- Close your eyes and place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly deflate.
- Repeat for 5 minutes, focusing on your breath and allowing your body to relax.
Write A Love Letter to Yourself
Write a love letter to celebrate and honor the most important person in your life - you!
Writing a love letter requires reflecting on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This process of self-reflection can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself, your needs and what brings you joy. While Valentine’s Day often emphasizes external relationships, writing a love letter to yourself shifts the focus inward. It encourages you to find joy and contentment within, and can help you find clarify around your thoughts.
Let this love letter be a personal declaration of self-worth and a reminder that your thoughts and feelings are very much valid and important. Here are a few prompts to get you started:
- What am I most proud of about myself?
- What accomplishment am I most proud of? What challenges did I overcome to achieve this?
- What have I learned about myself over the past year?
- What can I forgive myself for?
- What are five things in my life that bring me joy?
- What new experiences do I want to have this year?
- What positive impact do I have on those around me?
Practice Positive Affirmations
Do you ever struggle with loving who you are? Or do you often compare yourself to others? One way to change these negative thoughts is through positive affirmations.
Build upon your love letter to yourself to create daily affirmations that remind yourself how amazing you are. Positive affirmations have been shown to boost creativity, increase motivation and confidence, reduce stress and literally improve your health.
Use your love letter to yourself as a starting point to create affirmations that are related to your own personal needs and aspirations. Still not sure where to start? Here are some positive affirmations that you can make your own:
- I will allow myself to evolve and change.
- I attract happiness, success and abundance.
- I chose my own path to happiness.
- I am comfortable saying “no” as a complete sentence.
- I have the knowledge and ability to achieve everything I want.
- I am radiantly beautiful.
Upgrade Your Self Care Routine
Many of us have new year’s resolutions, but Valentine’s Day is a great time to reassess how we are prioritizing our own self care.
Are there parts of your wellness, beauty or health routines that could be improved? Think through some things you want to achieve - Do you want to find fun ways to workout more? Do you want to work on your hair and skin health? Do you want to get more sleep?
Sit down and make a list of self care rituals, products or tools that you would like to invest in over the next few months that will help you feel better. You deserve to treat yourself with the same care and attention that you extend to others, and what better way to do that than to upgrade your self care routine.
Indulge in Your Favorite Activities By Yourself
Whether it’s reading, going out to eat, taking a workout class or another hobby - spend time doing what you love, by yourself. Valentine’s Day often focuses on doing activities with a partner, but schedule some alone time this week to do something that makes you happy.
Being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. While we all know the downsides of loneliness and social isolation, there is evidence suggesting that a certain amount of quality time alone is essential to your physical and mental health. Doing activities alone allows you to enjoy activities you love on your own time and in your own way. It also provides you with the opportunity to reflect and reconnect with yourself, and gives you the space you need to relax.
Take Your Vitamins
We all want to feel and look our best, and part of that is making sure our body has the fuel and nutrients we need. While it is important to eat healthy and stay active, most of us do not get the level of vitamins and nutrients we need to be in optimal physical and mental health. If you’re looking for an all-in-one multivitamin for melanated women, our Daily Essentials offer support for energy levels, digestion, hair and skin health and overall wellness.
Remember, Valentine’s Day is also an opportunity to appreciate and care for yourself. Enjoy the day in a way that brings you all the happiness and love.
