This time of year, stores are flooded with heart-shaped chocolate boxes, life-size teddy bears, endless roses and mushy cards to show your significant other just how much you love them on Valentine‚s Day. And while long-stem roses and breakfast in bed is nice and all, what about the love we give
ourselves?
Just as it sounds,
self-loveis the act of loving yourself ‚ with a focus on one‚s own wellbeing and happiness. Rather than coming across as selfish or narcissistic, practicing self-love is actually a powerful way to love and honor yourself ‚ mind, body and soul. Here are seven simple ways you can practice self-love right now, whether you‚re single or hitched this Valentine‚s Day.
- Beware of the comparison trap
- Create a more joyful environment
- Be kind to your body
- Write yourself a love letter
- Focus on opening your heart chakra
- Set clear boundaries
- Go on a hot date (with yourself)
Find the full list below:
1.Beware of the Comparison Trap
As you prepare to embark on your journey toward self-love, you‚ll want to first remove any obstacles in your way. One of the biggest hurdles? Comparing yourself to others. When we waste time comparing our lives to others ‚ either on the ‚ògram or IRL (in real life) ‚ it can make us feel less than, making it difficult to appreciate ourselves. Instead, aim to tune into your own life and consider taking a break from social media so you can be more present.
2.Create a More Joyful Environment
One simple way to instill more love in your life is by creating a space that makes you feel like the best version of yourself. Clean out your workspace, donate old clothes that no longer fit, or paint your bedroom a color that reflects your personality. You can also bring more loving energy into your life through nature ‚ by buying yourself some farm-fresh flowers or a new succulent to brighten up your space!
3.Be Kind to Your Body
Are you treating your body with love and kindness? We can often be our own harshest critic, and the things we say about our own body we‚d never say to a friend.
Be kind to your body by practicing positive affirmations, nourishing yourself with whole foods that make you feel good, and honoring all the amazing things your body does for you (like getting you through your favorite sweaty spin class). Here are some
nourishing recipeshighlighting seasonal foods to fuel your body with this winter!
4.Write Yourself a Love Letter
What better way to show yourself some gratitude than by writing a love letter to yourself? We‚re so used to telling others how much we love them, but when it comes to self-love we often fall short.
Take out your journal and spend some time writing a letter to yourself ‚ highlighting your accomplishments, what makes you unique, and anything in particular you need to hear in this moment (think: favorite quotes or some feel-good personal mantras). The best part is, no one ever has to see your letter; it‚s for your eyes only.
5.Focus on Opening Your Heart Chakra
If you‚re not familiar with them, our chakras are the seven energy centers in the body, moving from the spine to the crown of our head. The goal: to bring them into balance as best we can (in order to feel our very best selves). The fourth chakra ‚ our heart chakra ‚ is associated with compassion and self-love, and is especially relevant when focusing on loving and accepting yourself more.
If you‚re having a difficult time practicing self-love, you may want to focus on opening your heart chakra through positive affirmations (i.e. ‚
I love and accept myself‚), healing stones like rose quartz, and heart-opening yoga postures or meditation exercises. Here‚s a simple
heart-opening meditationyou can try by The Chopra Center.
6.Set Clear Boundaries
It‚s hard to make room to love ourselves when we‚re constantly striving to please others. That‚s why it‚s important to set clear boundaries ‚ only saying yes to the opportunities and commitments that truly feel right. As entrepreneur Derek Sivers puts it, ‚If it‚s not a ‚òHell Yeah,‚ it‚s a no.‚‚
7.Go on a Hot Date (with Yourself)
Who‚s to say you can‚t be your own Valentine? Take yourself out on a solo date to try the new eclectic restaurant in town, see that feel-good flick you‚ve been eyeing, or simply take a stroll in the park to soak up some sunshine. The best part is you get to plan the date exactly how you want ‚ and treat yourself to a little extra love along the way.
Happy Valentine‚s Day from the team at Vibrant Health! Share how you‚re practicing self-love this season by tagging us on social media @VibrantHealth
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended as a substitute for advice provided by a competent health care professional. You should not use this information in diagnosing or treating a health problem. No claim or opinion in this blog is intended to be, nor should be construed to be, medical advice. If you are now taking any drugs, prescribed or not, or have a medical condition, please consult a competent physician who is aware of herb/drug interactions before taking any herbal supplements. The information presented herein has not been evaluated by the FDA or the Department of Health and is not intended to diagnose, prevent, cure, mitigate or treat any disease or illness.
