By: Yashvi Patel, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-being Leader
Valentine’s day isn’t just about lovers expressing their affection by exchanging cards, flowers, and candy, and having romantic meals in restaurants. Nonetheless, it is a day to show extra love and appreciation for those who you care about, and that should include yourself. It all starts with yourself. I really believe that love starts from within and that your capacity to love someone else is largely driven by your capacity to love yourself. What I mean by that is you cannot give something that you are unfamiliar with yourself. Self-love allows you to love others because you know how to care for yourself. I think loving yourself and loving others goes hand in hand. If you develop inner contentment and wellbeing, you can naturally strengthen your relationship with others.
Practicing self-love offers many benefits for your body and mind. Self-love helps you overcome insecurity. When you practice self-love, you become more forgiving of your flaws and accept your imperfections as something that makes you unique. People who love themselves are more confident and self-assured. Self-love can also encourage personal growth and self-improvement. You are more aware of your flaws and areas of improvements that you can actively work on to better your overall wellbeing. There are 8 dimensions of wellness that you can concentrate your efforts on: emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, and financial. Self-love also allows you to be at peace with yourself as you let go of negative self-talk, self-doubt, and self-criticism, and bring in positivity and happiness.
I like to schedule “me time” at least once a week where I have one commitment, which is to myself. My self-care routine typically consists of putting on some relaxing music, doing a face mask, doing my eyebrows, and finishing it off by applying some oils and moisturizer. I also have days where I feel lonely and would enjoy the company of others, so I typically travel to Boston and catch up with some friends or go for a stroll around the seaport area.
This February 14th, pamper and treat yourself to your own curated self-care routine. If you have nowhere to start, you can start by using positive affirmations, which are statements and phrases that replace negative self-talk with positive thoughts. Below are some powerful self-love affirmations you can use on Valentine’s Day. You can repeat these statements out loud or write them down in a journal. Personally, I like to make sticky notes of some of my favorite affirmations and stick them on my dressing table mirror, so they serve as constant reminders to think positively while I’m getting ready.
- I am perfect, just the way I am.
- I am constantly growing, evolving, and becoming my best self.
- I am a constant work in progress.
- I am proud of who I am becoming.
- I am learning to love myself more every day.
- I accept my failures, but they do not define me.
- I am not less for making mistakes. I am more because I learn from them.
- My goal is progress, not perfection.
- I am worthy of love, with my flaws and all.
- I will treat myself with the kindness of a friend.
- My imperfections make me unique.
- I will not apologize for being me.
- I will set my boundaries and reinforce them.
- My body does not determine my worth.
- I will accept my body the way it is today.
- I care for my health, not for my body to look a certain way.
- I am grateful for this mind, body and soul.
- One bad day does not make me a bad person.
- I will send love to my worries and doubts.
- I will let go of things that no longer serve me.
Resources:
https://blog.journey.cloud/valentines-self-love-affirmations/