As we all know February is the month of love (apparently). And with Valentine’s this month, whether you love, loathe or feel indifferent about the day, it’s hard to escape it with all the love hearts, roses and romantic memorabilia being thrust in almost every shop!
At Valentine’s we’re always thinking of our partners, friends or loved ones and ways we can show our love and gratitude. But what we can forget is to include ourselves when it comes to handing out the sweet gestures, gifts and overall affection.
You need to include yourself too because you are so worthy of love from not only others, but also from yourself.
If you struggle with expressing love for yourself, then I’m sharing some tips on how to do this in the most easiest way, and ideas that don’t smell as cheesy as a marriage proposal on Valentine’s. (Sorry but I just can’t deal with this cliché – not for me!)
How to show yourself love this Valentine’s, and always!
1. Be kind to yourself
We’re all guilty of being our own worst critic and forgetting to be nicer to ourselves.
Make a pact that you’re going to be kinder to yourself, treating yourself the same way you would a friend or loved one.
Kindness begins with stopping the negativity you have towards yourself; you can start this by practising positive affirmations. Speaking kindly and positively to yourself will make you feel better and it’s all about understanding your self worth and lifting yourself higher.
Always, always be kind in this world to others and yourself!
2. Listen to your body & needs
This is an important one that again, we’re all guilty of not doing.
If your body is tired have some rest, if your head and heart says stop – give yourself a break. And if your mood is low and you’re struggling to make yourself happy, then do more of the things that make you laugh and smile to boost your mood.
Acknowledging when your body and mind feels a certain way is extremely important. Really listen to your needs and act on them accordingly; it’s the best way to look after yourself whilst showing love too.
3. Spend time with yourself
Spending time alone with just yourself is really empowering. Yes, I understand for some the thought of it can be daunting and scary, but just trust me on this.
Like we appreciate the company of others, we need to learn to love spending time with ourselves, being truly comfortable and content on our own.
If you can happily spend time on your own it’s a great power to have. Others are happy enough to spend time with us, so we too should be able to spend time with ourselves.
Go take yourself out on a date – you deserve to treat yourself!
4. Set boundaries
I cannot stress this enough how important it is to set boundaries, not only as a way of loving yourself but protecting yourself too. Nothing says love more than the power or protection; defend yourself at all costs.
It’s only taken me around 30 years to realise that boundaries are essential and non-negotiable in my life. If I want to better myself and those around me, I need to set boundaries.
It is totally okay to say NO to something you don’t want or feel like doing. Take ownership, stand your ground and boss setting those boundaries! You’ll feel heaps better for making them, and it helps you to be in more control of your life in a healthy way for you too.
5. Surround yourself with positivity & good
A way to really express love and treat yourself well, is to acknowledge the type of things you surround yourself with. External factors and the environment around us can definitely have an impact on how we feel.
A great method to treat ourselves in the BEST way we can, is to surround ourselves with good things and those that spark positivity, warmth and joy. (ALL the feels!).
Surround yourself with things that are really going to make you smile and shine from the inside out – there’s no better feeling!
6. Spend more time outdoors
Getting outdoors in the fresh air is UNDERRATED!
Not only is it good to get outside and move your body, as exercise is a great way to boost your mood, but feeling the fresh air on your face and skin works wonders.
It gives you that time and space away from whatever you were doing or perhaps feeling, whilst allowing you time to breathe, slow things down and quite literally get a breath of fresh air.
In doing so this helps you to reset, refocus and bring your body and mind to a calmer and hopefully much happier state.
It’s so important to express love to yourself too, as you are living this life as you. So you need to nurture yourself to bloom and be the best person that you can possibly be, whilst feeling amazing on the inside too!
Remember: self care doesn’t mean me first, it means me TOO. We often forget to love and care about ourselves the way we do with others!
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