Valentines Day is approaching, so make plans to spend it with your special someone. But what if you’re not committed ? Valentines Day can be celebrated by you alone. Keep your attention on you. In whatever basic self-care activities bring you joy, rest, or relaxation, show love for yourself and appreciation for the love that surrounds you. Connect with an old acquaintance, snooze, try a new home pastime, enjoy the outdoors, or eat a favorite cuisine. Take care of yourself this Valentines Day, whether you’re single or not.
Let’s get straight down to it…and spread the positive word that Valentines Day should be just as much about self love as it is romantic love…
1. Dress the way you want. Don’t be too concerned with what’s currently doing the fashion rounds or what anyone says should and shouldn’t go together or is ‘right’ for your body. If you love the way you look and feel in something then you’re dressing with love.
2. Give yourself a break. If you are harder on yourself than anyone you know it’s totally time to give that up. It’s not serving you or making you a better person. Let’s move on shall we?
3. Treat yourself. No money spent on you for something that brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart is ever wasted. Go get it girl!
4. Get yourself a wee bit more organised; or even totally organised. Might sound super boring but if you can manage to get yourself out from under that pile of paperwork/dishes/general gunk and stuff, you will have so much more creative and loving flow in your life.
5. Take stock. Of your surroundings, relationships, commitments and influences as a whole. Promise yourself that now is the time to only engage with people and things that fully serve you and help you be your best. Gently let go of the rest.
6. Do something you love to do or even think you might love to do. If you’ve always wanted to try yoga, web design, cake decorating or scuba diving show yourself some love by delving into your curiosity and doing it. Life’s for living.
7. Recognise once and truly for pity’s sake end of the earth all time no holds barred freakin’ I’m really gonna get it this time…that you only get one body. Love it. Nurture it. Be kind to it. And stop obsessing. Enjoy the ride beautiful you in the form you’ve been given.
8. Throw away your scales. Don’t waste a moment more concerned with a number. Your life will be over before you know it and what you weighed will be utterly inconsequential.
9. Sleep. Seriously. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and frazzled find some time to just lie down and rest. Fall asleep for as long as you need to so your body can recharge. Sometimes it’s the most simple but loving thing you can do to ‘reset.’
10. Ask for what you want. Really want. At work. In bed. From your Mother. Of yourself. Prepare yourself for getting it.
11. Show yourself the kindness you show others. If it’s good for them honey – it sure is good for you too. Buy yourself flowers. Write a lovely note encouraging you and tuck it away ready to read again on your birthday. Talk positively to yourself.
12. Enough with the comparisons. While your comparing your bank balance, body, wardrobe, children’s abilities or entire life to someone else worrying yourself inside out your life is not as ‘good’ as theirs is – they’re living it. You can’t have their body or children or life. You’ve got something better – yours. There’s nothing to compare. She’s incomparable. You’re incomparable. Love and leave. Then live.
13. Eat what you want. Yeah that. Drop the deprivation, diets and unmet desires for food you want to have but for a myriad of punishing reasons tell yourself you shouldn’t or can’t have. Have faith in your body by giving it what it tells you it wants in a mindful, calm, loving way. And goddamn it – enjoy it.
14. Start something. That dream or goal or wish or want that’s been tucked in the back of your head and heart for months or even years now? Get it out of your head and onto paper, a vision board, into a conversation and your life. Show yourself true love by following through with what’s tugging at your heart instead of just thinking about it.