There is something magical about Valentine’s season whether you are in a relationship or you are single and proud. Red seems brighter, rom-coms are more captivating and your feelings for your loved ones are inexplicably amplified. Whether you are a sucker for the holiday or you think it is a capitalistic trap, you cannot deny that love truly is in the air all February long.
With Valentine’s just around the corner, you have probably noticed a lot of chatter about love from advertisements to office banter. But what does it all mean? What is love? What is it to love? And most importantly, is self-love as important as love for others?
What is love?
Love has been described in many ways. Some people see it as a feeling: the warm fuzzies you get when your partner holds your hand or your puppy cuddles up to you. Other people believe it’s the actions that show how you feel: taking out the garbage for your parents, running errands for your friend or getting a special gift for that special someone.
After all is said and done, there really is no wrong description of love. There are many different love languages. It’s what you choose to make it whether it is the feeling, the actions, or even both. The important thing is that the object of your affection is aware of it.
The most important love of all.
Yes, you love your family or your beau or your besties from here to high heavens. And that is wonderful. We all need some of that. However, the most important love of all is without a doubt the love that we show ourselves.
Loving yourself doesn’t make you selfish or conceited. On the contrary, it is an incredibly beautiful thing, because if you don’t love yourself you really cannot truly love anyone else the way they deserve to be loved. So as you plan that surprise dinner for your partner or shop for a gift to ship your parents, make time to show the most important person in your life some love; you.
Loving yourself means making yourself a priority. You have to take active steps to actually take care of yourself. Here are a few ways you can show yourself a little love:
1. Nourish Yourself
Taking care of your body is one of the most affirmative displays of self-love. Eating a healthy meal is comparable to daily acts of love and kindness that you show your partner. Ensuring you feed your body with the nutrients it needs on a daily basis through whole food supplementation is like getting your partner an extravagant gift to show them you love them. You make your body happy by feeding it wholesome foods and you will definitely notice a difference in how it treats you back.
2. Rest
Another great way to show yourself some love is by taking care of your brain. It works all day to keep you up and active. And it deserves a break too. You wouldn’t let your partner work all day and do all the chores without resting right? So, allow your brain some well-deserved rest as well.
3. Stay Active
You don’t have to turn into a gym buff overnight to prove that you love yourself. However, staying active even in ways as subtle as taking the stairs or walking to work will make all the difference.
4. Ditch Bad Habits
If you love yourself, don’t hurt yourself. Cut out any habits that may be causing direct harm to your body and mind. This could be a bad drug or alcohol habit that you need to kick. Or, it could be something more unassuming like self-bashing or self-destructive coping mechanisms. Be kind to yourself and let these go.
5. Invest in Healthy Relationships
You deserve love. And, one of the best ways to love yourself is by allowing other people to love you. Take a moment and let that sink in…Investing in healthy relationships whether romantic or otherwise is a great way to take care of yourself. Surround yourself with this beautiful energy and the supportive vibes will definitely help you become the best version of yourself.
6. Take Care of Your Psyche
Your mind is more powerful and more delicate than you may think. As you take care of the rest of yourself don’t forget this virtual organ. Try yoga and meditation to promote mindfulness or positive self-affirmation exercises to remind yourself that you love yourself, should you ever forget.
Research is showing that wellness is an integration of your complete wellbeing. We are talking about the all-encompassing wellness of your mind, body, and spirit. And, when it comes to self-love, each component is important.
Practice Self-love and Join the #NewEarthLife Movement
After all is said and done, self-love is every bit as important as any other love. So do yourself a favor and make yourself a priority. It’s what we call living the #NewEarthLife.