Valentine’s Day is a time each year for couples and friends alike to celebrate their love for one another. While we support all positive relationships, we also believe one of the most important relationships any of us have is the one with ourselves.
So, whether you’re celebrating solo or spending the day with loved ones, here are two simple ways you can practice self-love this Valentine’s Day.
Accept who you are
Valentine’s Day is all about gratitude and love, so slow down and take a break from the daily grind to appreciate where you are right now. Recognizing the things you’ve already accomplished, instead of being focused on a destination, will allow for more growth, clarity and a healthy mindset. Try writing yourself a Valentine for the things you most appreciate about yourself and see how it feels to read back to yourself.
Invest in you
We often neglect our own needs in order to follow through on commitments to others or to try and meet someone else’s expectations. But some of the simplest investments in ourselves can make the biggest impact on our overall level of happiness and the resulting relationships we have with our friends and loved ones.
“Marketing messages and social norms around Valentine’s day often emphasize what we ‘should’ do to please others,” Dr. Beleznay says. “A message like ‘pucker up with the perfect lips for your Valentine’ is fine if that’s what you want,” she adds, “If getting a little lip filler or investing in a laser to brighten your complexion is part of your self-care goals and brings you joy and confidence, amazing! But, it’s best if you are doing it for yourself first and foremost.”
Whether it’s making time to work out, cook your favourite healthy meal, read a book, or enjoy a quiet moment alone, take the time to figure out what it is that will fill your emotional tank — and then give yourself the space to do it. You’ll have so much more to give to others once you give yourself what you need.
What does self-love look like to you? We’d love to hear from you on social media, or at your next appointment!