Defining Self-Love
Like every year, Valentine’s Day can be all about heart-shaped chocolate boxes and bouquets of roses. While some will have trouble hiding their excitement as they prepare a romantic surprise for their loved one, for a large number of people, this celebration of love may lead to distress or trigger feelings of insecurity and loneliness. Whatever the feelings, occasions such as this can often lead to a desire to drink. Despite temporarily feeling better, alcohol will eventually lead to feeling as bad or worst than you felt before you started drinking. On the other hand, love is something holistic that can go beyond relationships that bond us with a partner or family.
This year, rather than focusing solely on the reasons why we love somebody else, or being hard on ourselves for not having a special someone, how about falling in love with yourself? Like any other great relationship, it takes effort, time, and it’s worth it. After all, it’s you – and there’s no better time to re-ignite that spark with yourself, than Valentine’s Day. To (re)start the love-story with yourself, here are a few things you can do:
Pamper yourself – Take some “me-time” to do things that make you feel good, mentally and physically. Relax to a warm bubble bath listening to your favourite songs. Order in and treat yourself to a nice meal while watching an uplifting movie. Or take a class or workshop that you’ve been wanting to go to for a long time. Whatever lifts your spirit – make sure you pick something that truly resonates with who you are and what you like.
Relax – Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to disconnect, even if for a short period of time. To do so, turn off your phone and TV for a few hours, and spend time doing something you like and that requires your full attention. Artistic activities such as drawing, painting, singing, doing crafts and cooking are great ways to enjoy the present while expressing our creativity.
Laugh out loud – When was the last time you laughed so hard, it actually made you cry? Often we take ourselves – and things – too seriously. This Valentine’s Day, create the opportunity for a big, fun, teary-eyed laugh! Pick a funny movie, watch a stand-up comedy show at home or in a local comedy club. If you prefer something a bit more active, invite some friends to a trampoline park, challenge yourself in a parkour class, race your pals on go-kart, sing like nobody’s watching at karaoke or organize a dinner party with your friends.
Make a plan – Take some time to plan something that truly excites you: sign-up for a course, rethink your routine, schedule fun activities, book a flight, plan a visit to family or friends who live far away, or organise a road trip. Having something to look forward to is a great way to keep ourselves motivated, optimistic about the future and happy just thinking about it.
There are plenty of ways to fall in love with yourself or awesome things to do when you’re single on Valentine’s Day that don’t need to involve alcohol. All in all, be sure to give yourself a moment of bliss. By reconnecting with yourself, you help increase motivation levels that can help you take the next step towards an important change. And who knows… this can even turn out to be a special day that you celebrate every year as the day you fell in love again with YOU.
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