To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. – Oscar Wilde
Valentine’s Day is often associated with romantic love, but it can also be a good opportunity to celebrate self-love. Sounds cool…isn’t it?
This involves taking care of yourself, respecting and accepting yourself, and focusing on your own well-being. Some ways to practice self-love on Valentine’s Day include treating yourself to something you enjoy, engaging in self-care activities such as exercise or meditation, spending time with friends or family, and focusing on your personal goals and aspirations. Remember that self-love is an ongoing journey, and it’s important to be kind to yourself and celebrate your progress every day, not just on Valentine’s Day.
Self love is one of the most powerful and important things a person can do in life. It has the power to change everything such as your relationships, your career, your health and a lot. Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others, in fact self love is cultivating a loving and healthy relationship with ourselves.Be compassionate to yourself and show up for yourself.
Steps to nurture self love
1
It’s OK to not be OK
How many times have you pretended, that your life is going great? Life is not always great, it can be hard at times, but being authentic makes you real and natural. In order to show a false image of being fine we wear a mask of ‘I am fine.’ It’s a heavy burden to carry, so allow yourself to experience the freedom of being true and connect with people who can receive and understand your feelings.
2
Pause & Self Reflect
With self reflection you gain a better understanding of your thoughts, feelings, strengths, weaknesses and your driving force. Self-reflection, if performed correctly and regularly, can enable you to make better decisions and can help you to lead a stress free life!
It brings clarity of thoughts and leaves behind the doubts that hold you as your false beliefs, it can also spark insight which can alter the way you see yourselves and those around you. It also provides a different point of view.
3
Learn, Unlearn & Re-Learn
Does it mean to forget everything that we know? No, it doesn’t mean that in fact, it means to adopt the new knowledge of today with a mind ready to accept it easily. One should unlearn by freeing their minds from stagnated ideas, norms, beliefs etc and be ready to learn with open mind in such a way that the task becomes convincing and interesting.
4
Take a daily dose of Motivation
Besides doing other important things to nurture yourself; first and foremost thing is to take a daily dose of inspiration because motivation, by any ways is necessary to stay positive and contented. There are thousands of motivations around us. Such as motivation from books, quotes, seminars, objects, places, people, etc. We cannot identify all of these, but the motivational quotes are the best source of motivation that anyone can get easy access to.
Motivational statements furnish us with a positive outlook and get our concentration back on track, offering the motivation required for the situation.
Motivation is the presence of purpose and desire to achieve personal and professional goals. We can lead a positive life by training our minds to look at the brighter side of every situation.
5
Create a healthy Routine
When we feel unorganised or unproductive, one EXTREMELY easy thing to do is to create a routine or schedule. It works as an anchor and brings a sense of control over our lives.
Morning routine: A productive and positive morning routine can set the tone of the day. Exercise, meditation, journaling or a healthy breakfast are a few examples of this.
Planning and goal-setting: Take some time to plan out the day ahead, prioritize tasks, and set achievable goals.
Work or productive tasks: Dedicate a set amount of time to work-related tasks, studying, or pursuing personal projects and interests.
Exercise: Regular exercise has a lot of advantages for both physical and mental health. Try to include exercise in your daily routine.
Relaxation and self-care: Take some time to relax and recharge, whether that’s through reading, taking a bath, or engaging in a hobby.
Quality time with loved ones: Spending time with family and friends is important for maintaining healthy relationships and promoting a sense of community.
Preparing for bed: Wind down for the night by putting aside screens, reflecting on the day’s activities, and preparing for a good night’s sleep.
6
Be Kind to Yourself
Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer to a friend.
If you feel that you are having a stressful day due to any reason, just move away and do something different for few minutes, it relaxes you and refills enthusiasm in you!
Don’t put excessive pressure on yourself to be perfect or to always meet high standards.
Engage in activities that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being, such as exercise, meditation, or spending time in nature.
Surround yourself with people who uplift and support you, and limit exposure to negative influences.
Allow yourself to experience and acknowledge your feelings, and take steps to manage them in a healthy way. Check: It’s OK to not be OK
Take time to acknowledge and celebrate your successes, big or small. This can help build self-confidence and promote a positive self-image.
7
Journal your thoughts & feelings
A journal can help you explore and sift through your feelings & experiences and learn from them. It’s a great way to get to know you, because it’s a positive self talk. It also identifies negative thoughts and helps in working on them through self reflection. Choose any medium to write, but the most important thing is to just get started. Here are some prompts to get started with:
- Today I am feeling _________. I think this is because __________.
- One big thing I have learned during this crisis is _________.
- One thing that’s surprised me recently is _________.
- What matters most to me in life is _________.
- My ideal ideal day _________.
- My big dream is _________.
You can work on your goals through Self-coaching journal which is a powerful tool for achieving your goals. It can also work as a mini self-coaching session. By writing it out you see the image of what you want to achieve.
Such guided journals can prove to be strong navigation system, that can guide us as we go through the process of goal achievement.
8
Laugh your stress out
Laughter releases helpful chemicals in our bloodstream – Endorphins (our natural “happy” drug) and Dopamine (part of our bodily “reward” system).
- Watch your favourite comedy shows
- Netflix and similar have so many watching options, so find something that makes you laugh!
- Practice laughter Yoga! Youtube has a great collection of laughter exercises!
If we arm ourselves with laughter, it can cast aside our worries and brings us joy. As the need for a daily dose of laughter is increasing day by day, various organisations and individuals are putting their efforts to make people aware of the simple fact ‘Laughter wellness.’
9
Treat your body, mind & spirit with love
Treat your body, mind & spirit with love so that you can treat others with the same feelings.
Treating your body, mind, and spirit with love involves taking care of yourself on all levels – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Here are some ways to do this:
- Physical self-care: Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and avoiding unhealthy habits such as smoking or excessive drinking.
- Mental self-care: Engaging in activities that bring joy, practicing mindfulness and self-reflection, seeking help from a mental health professional when needed.
- Emotional self-care: Cultivating positive relationships, expressing emotions in a healthy way, taking time to relax and recharge, and practicing self-compassion.
- Spiritual self-care: Engaging in spiritual practices such as meditation, prayer, or connecting with nature, and reflecting on your values and beliefs.
By taking care of your body, mind, and spirit, you can cultivate a sense of well-being and promote a positive and fulfilling life.
If you don’t love yourself, nobody will. Not only that, you won’t be good at loving anyone else. Loving starts with the self. -Wayne Dyer
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Disclaimer – This article is a personal view of the author.
