Its February, and that means love is in the air! Some might read that last sentence and think, “yeah, if you’re lucky.” Au contraire my darlings, luck has little to do with it. Today I am talking about loving yourself. And I’ve got five simple ways you can show yourself some love on Valentine’s Day or any day!
1. Take some “Me Time”
We’ve all been guilty of being so caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle of life that we often forget to slow down and truly appreciate the people and things in our lives. Take a day for yourself to do whatever you want, or my personal fav, absolutely nothing! Now I know if you have young children or a demanding job or both, you may be thinking impossible, but I promise the reward will be worth it. I am a firm believer that in order to take care of others, we must first take care of ourselves. This is the same reason you must put your emergency oxygen mask on before assisting others. It’s necessary!
Your “me time” doesn’t have to be anything super fancy or even an entire day, just make sure you relish in the moment. Sleep in, take the time to savior your morning cup of coffee or two, catch up on some reading, binge watch through your entire Netflix queue, or dive into your favorite hobby. Your options are limitless.
2. Treat yourself
I love giving gifts almost as much as I love receiving them, so giving myself a gift is truly a no brainer with twice the feel the good factor! The idea of the gift or treat is all about how it makes you feel so keep in mind that the price point is not what matters. It can be as simple and inexpensive as a new shade of lipstick or you can spring for big ticket items like jewelry or a designer handbag. The choice is entirely up to you.
3. Take yourself on a date
Remember that episode of “Sex and the City” where Carrie was dating the city and headed out to The Guggenheim, only to get drenched in the rain and then discover the museum is closed! Aside from the downpour and the off timing, Ms. Bradshaw definitely had the right idea! Get dolled up and get out there and do the things you love!
I’ll admit this one is easier said than done. I sometimes find discomfort in doing things alone, but I am making a conscious effort to do the things I’m interested in, even if it means doing them alone!
4. Buy yourself some flowers
This one really needs no explanation. There is nothing quite like having fresh flowers around. Although I’m not sure why we go bananas for them around Valentine’s Day. Because guess what, they can be purchased any day, not just on Valentine’s Day. And odds are you’ll probably get them at a much better price if it isn’t Valentine’s Day. So go ahead and purchase a dozen of your favorite flower for yourself.
5. Write yourself a love letter
I’m sure there exist some scientific research somewhere that speaks to the benefits of writing yourself a love letter. But I’m just going to go with my gut here and suggest that you can’t go wrong with reminding yourself that you are your own biggest fan! This idea should come as no surprise, as social media is full of axioms and quotes like ‘You got this’, ‘You are enough’, ‘Life is tough, but so are you’. Now to reap those feel good benefits you will probably want to put a little more into your self love letter but I think you get the idea.
I hope you will take the time to practice some of these acts of self love not just on Valentine’s Day but all throughout the year. Happy Valentine’s Day and remember to show yourself some love!
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