Four Acts of Self-Love to Practice this Valentine’s Day

Whether you have a date this Valentine’s Day or not, there is something important to discuss this time of year, and that is self-love. In case you have forgotten, or are constantly being told otherwise, you are worthy of love! Let’s talk about some ways you can love yourself. 

Forgiveness 

There is a proverb that says holding onto anger at someone is like slowly drinking poison: the anger only affects you, and whenever you choose to be angry, it only takes energy and time from you. Forgiveness is not an easy act to do but holding onto anger will not allow you to grow to your full potential. Free yourself from anger by forgiving those who have wronged you. 

Find Joy 

Joy is different than happiness in that joy is a prolonged feeling, while happiness is fleeting. If you focus on being happy, you will never find it for a long time. Instead, find the small things that give you joy and surround yourself with them. Make these moments a central part of your day. If you have a  busy day of work,give yourself a few 15-minute breaks where you do something that brings you joy. Maybe that is planning a date with a loved one or doing a crossword. Whatever it is, put little moments of joy into your daily life. 

Cut Toxic Ties 

Take some time to analyze your life. Find people, events or personal habits that drain your energy or make you feel bad about yourself. Spend some time asking if these are toxic aspects of your life or just difficult ones. There is a difference between a difficult time period with a friend and a toxic one. One way to find out is asking if this person truly wants the best for you. If they don’t, spend less time around them. Should you slip up and allow some form of toxicity back in your life, remember to forgive yourself. Self-improvement is an admirable task, and it takes time.  

Understand Habits 

An often-forgotten part of self-love is accountability, which is not self-flagellation! Never beat yourself up for not reaching a goal, instead ask yourself what stopped you from achieving it. Everything we do is a form of habit, and these are hard to break because humans are naturally habit-seeking. Understanding why we have the habit is important. All habits provide certain rewards which is why we keep them. Try to replace the bad ones with a reward that is more meaningful to you. 

Remember to practice these forms of self-love, you are worth it!