Valentine’s Day is usually all about couples but today, I want you to celebrate YOU.
Why? Because the most important relationship you will ever be in is the one you have with yourself. It is also the one that is most often overlooked. There are so many small things you can do each day to practice self love.
First, schedule out time just for you. This will be something that will help your mindset. If you haven’t been doing this already, start at 10-15 minutes. What is something you enjoy doing but haven’t been able to recently? This could be reading a book, journaling, meditation, taking a bath, going on a walk, get your hair done.
Whatever it is that you choose, make sure that you are focused on what you are doing and not what you should be doing. For many of us, we live extremely busy lives. We easily feel guilty for not doing the day to day tasks that we feel take priority over ourselves. These can include taking care of our children, packing a lunch for spouse, house chores, business emails, etc. Remember that 10 minutes or even 30 minutes are well-deserved for you to relax and focus on you. Remember, you can always build up to your ideal time and that some people require more “me” time than others. Do what feels right for you.
Second, move your body. You knew this would make the list. There are so many benefits to staying active and this can help our mental and physical health. By taking care of your body and respecting all that it does for you, is a way to show self love. Your body releases chemicals during a workout that increases your mood and helps you feel relaxed. It also decreases your risk of depression.
This doesn’t have to be a 60-minute, hardcore workout. Choose something that you enjoy. Go for a walk with your dog, play outside with your kids, take a kickboxing class, go for a run. Any of these will show your mind and body some love while helping you clear your mind. Partner this will fueling your body with healthy foods and your energy and happiness levels will sky rocket.
People always say that marriage is hard work and it is! But so is personal development. Trying to change a pattern within yourself is hard and you more than likely will fall a few times and that is normal and OKAY! When you are working on bettering yourself, it has a ripple effect on others. If you are wanting to focus on finances, for example, that may encourage your friends to do the same. Want to eat healthier? Awesome, ask your husband to join. Working on bettering your life will only help you and everyone in your life. Do not get this confused with being perfect. There’s a difference between striving for bettering your life and perfectionism. This can often lead to negative self talk.
Something that you can try to remember when you start to have negative thoughts about yourself is “would you say this to your best friend? Your husband? Your child.” If the answer is no, flip it to a positive. Instead of seeing stretch marks, notice how much more loosely your jeans are fitting. Instead of wondering if you talked too much, be grateful for your outgoing personality. This will help your mindset immensely and also grow your self-esteem.
Remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup. If you are always giving and pouring yourself into other relationships, how can you fill up your own cup?
What is your favorite activity to do to practice self-love? What do you struggle with?
