Practicing Self-Love

Everyone knows February, and specifically February 14th, is a big time to express your love for others. Whether that is expressed with friends at a Galentine’s party or with a significant other at a candlelit dinner, we tend to focus on making sure everyone else in our lives feels loved and appreciated. With all the focus landing on the love of those around us, it is easy to overlook expressing love for the most important person — ourselves. February 13th is self-love day! This is a perfect time to reflect on ourselves and give the internal love we deserve.

What is self-love?

Self-love is a little different from self-care, but both are very important (and you can read up on our explanation for how they differ). To sum it up quickly, self-love is allowing ourselves to appreciate who we are and what we need in order to feel our best. Practicing self-love allows us to break free of our own self-judgments and make room for growth. 

So, how can you get into a good self-love practice?

Much like all aspects of our mental health, including partaking in self-care, practicing self-love is not one-size-fits-all. Make sure to try out different things, and find what works best for you! There is no right or wrong answer. If you’re looking for a way to get started, creating a self-love journal can be a great way to introduce self-love into your life.

Journaling for self-love

The best part about journaling is the fact that there are so many ways to do it! You can write pages and pages of all our thoughts in detail, jot down a few bullet points of ideas, or anything in between. Check out some of these examples to get your self-love thoughts flowing, and pick and choose your favorites!

  • What makes me unique?

  • List 5 new hobbies you’d like to try!

  • Write yourself a thank-you note

  • What makes you feel loved? How do you like to love others?

  • Describe something that makes you smile 

  • List your 3 favorite personality traits (For a bonus: describe why you like these traits!)

  • What makes you feel the most confident?

  • Jot down some kind words you can read to yourself when you need a pick-me-up

Remember to give yourself grace as you navigate your self-love journey. It’s ok if it feels awkward at first. Allow yourself time to find the self-love practices that make you feel the best. Most importantly, remember that despite the things you’ve been through, IT’S OK NOT TO BE OK.

Hope For The Day