Whether you’re single or in a relationship doesn’t matter this Valentine’s Day.

Why? Because self-love doesn’t discriminate based on your relationship status.

Worldwide, February is synonymous with hearts, roses, love, loneliness, and an obsession over who did what with whom on Valentine’s Day. 

However, what can be easy to forget this time of year is how to intimately love ourselves.  Not just in February, but all year long.  We all deserve that kind of lasting love!

Self-care is an action taken out of self-love, or love of yourself.  

I see that through the extensive marketing practices of the beauty industry and social media crazes, face masks, massages, and manicures have become popularized as self-care practises.  

While these can be acts of self-care (and feel good, too!), their results can be short-lived and even superficial.  

Through my Health & Wellness Coaching practice, I have seen first-hand some self-care practisces that have profound long-term impacts for my clients. Here are a few for you to try:

1. Create a personal self-love mantra. A personal mantra is an affirmative sentence or phrase you create, which is born from your authentic desires.  Choose one desire to focus on and create a statement, which will be your mantra.  One I use often for myself and my clients is, “I am enough.”  

Use your mantra at any point in the day, particularly when you begin noticing thoughts or feelings of fear, doubt, anxiety or lack of love.  You can write your mantra on your mirror, on a note you keep in your purse or as a reminder to pop up on your phone throughout the day. Remember, this is a personal mantra and there is no right or wrong. 

2. Ask for help.  Is there something that causes you stress or annoyance that you wish you had help with?  Ask for help with that thing from a trusted person – that could be a partner, friend, family member, or paid help.  This frees up your time and energy to be used for other areas that can create more joy in your life.

3. Book an exam with your doctor.  Show your body the love it deserves by checking in with the doctor to see what’s going on inside from a health perspective.  For women, this can also include a visit to your gynaecologist. Get intimate with how your body is functioning on the inside by taking yourself on a “date” to the doctor.  

4. Set a boundary. Boundaries are an act of self-love in a major way.  You are setting a boundary to protect and maintain your physical and emotional well-being.  A healthy boundary could be waiting one hour after waking in the morning before checking social media or email.  Or deciding you will remove yourself from a conversation if yelling occurs. 

If you’re feeling unsure how to utilize these practices, or you want to focus more on the area of self-love, find out how we can work on these and more with personalized sessions.  Simply book a complimentary session and you’ll be on your way to bringing more enjoyment and love into your life.

Remember, you deserve lasting love… of yourself!