Regardless of your relationship status on Valentine's Day - single and still looking for the right person, single and happy about it, in a romantic relationship with your soul mate, or something in between (like getting divorced or going through a break-up) - this is the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time engaging in self love.
In our culture, there’s a lot of pressure to celebrate V Day only if you have a romantic partner, and it usually entails a fancy occasion: a night out with dinner, flowers, candy, and other “fun activities.”
While I certainly love going on a romantic date with my boyfriend any time of the year, it’s equally (perhaps more) important to celebrate your fabulous self this holiday as well.
I’m here to remind you, there is no right or wrong way to spend Valentine’s Day. In fact, you don’t have to celebrate it at all. However, even if you’re not celebrating this holiday, you should always celebrate yourself. It’s a big deal.
In this blog, I break down 5 ways to show yourself some love every day, including Valentine’s Day and every other holiday. Trust me – your future self will thank you.
Spend Time with Friends
Celebrating Valentine’s Day with a friend is not only a great opportunity to catch up on life in general, but also a wonderful way to nurture the relationships you have outside of your dating life.
Grab brunch or dinner, go out for a night on the town with your single friends, order some fancy takeout and watch a romantic movie in your pajamas, indulge in a spa day, go shopping in the city – there’s a bunch of ideas here!
You don’t even have to acknowledge it’s Valentine’s Day if that brings up any negative feelings – just treat this as an ordinary hang-out with a friend, and have fun!
Spend Time Solo
It took me some time to realize that I’m more of an introvert, and it took me even longer to learn how to honor that. While I love spending time with my partner, family, and friends, I also know that my time alone is equally important. It allows me to re-charge my batteries and soothe myself in this hectic world that we live in.
Solo activities like reading a book, sipping a warm cup of tea or coffee, cooking a nourishing dinner, taking a walk, stretching, taking a bath, getting a massage or facial, and just having some personal space, quiet, and peace in general, can bring so much happiness.
Think of it as going on a date night with yourself!
Try Something New
Another way to show yourself some love is by learning something new. It’s good exercise for your brain and a great opportunity to connect with your body.
Feeling hungry? Try cooking a new recipe with exciting flavors for dinner, and focus on all of your senses to create a romantic eating experience: What colors appear on your plate? What smells hit your nose as you add each ingredient? Listen to the sizzle of food cooking in the pan. Does your mouth water when you take a bite? What is the texture you feel as you chew the food?
Want to get physical? Aside from the obvious (wink wink), try a new workout that challenges your mind and body in different ways. If you always do heart-pumping cardio, then slow things down with yoga, balance and stretching. If you are a Pilates lover, try mixing it up with some strength and high-intensity interval training.
Allow safety and love to lead the way here. There’s a difference between completing an invigorating workout that makes you feel powerful and alive, versus having a sore neck for a week because you forced yourself into a convoluted yoga pose that you’re not ready for yet.
Looking to relax and clear your head? Find a quiet space, sit in a chair or cross-legged on the floor, and try a new meditation or breathwork. I didn’t pick up breathwork until recently, and it’s actually much more challenging than I imagined. But once I finish, I feel strong, rejuvenated, and energized.
Sleep
One thing I envy about single people is the ability to sleep whenever, wherever, and for as long as you want, without having to worry about what anyone else thinks about it. To me, there is nothing more luxurious than sleeping until I wake up naturally, to spread my arms and legs out in a good morning stretch, and to slowly start my day.
Rest is good for the mind, body and soul. It is when our body does its most potent healing. It restores us to our baseline at the end of a long day. And let’s be honest – it’s just plain fun.
Bonus idea: Add some romance to your bedroom and nighttime routine. Grab some flowers, install soft lighting, play some relaxing music, and splurge on some super comfy bedding and pillows. As you lay your head on the pillow and start to fall asleep at night, think about something for which you are grateful, and just feel the self-love filling you up.
Who said romance was dead?
Love Yourself
Buy yourself the damn flowers. Or the spa treatment. Or the outfit. Or the jewelry. Or the dinner. Or the experience. Miley Cyrus knows what she’s talking about – don’t wait to show yourself love until you have found romantic love.
You are worthy of having fun and celebrating yourself, not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day of your life. You are a beautiful, unique human being who deserves to be appreciated and loved. Sure, relationships are great, but at the end of the day, you are all that you truly have, and you are all that you truly need.
One last thing: This isn’t just about buying stuff for yourself. It’s about showing yourself love in all ways. If you want to be your own valentine, then treat yourself accordingly, on this day and every day. Tell yourself “I love you” at least once a day.
The words you say to yourself and how you treat yourself does matter. If you can’t love yourself first, then you will not be able to fully and truly love someone else. And that would truly be a shame, because you’ve got a lot of AMAZING love to spread around in this world.
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