As Valentine’s day approaches, we all get increasingly obsessed with love. Not that you can ever forget about love, really. These days, however, we tend to dwell a bit more on how nice it is to have a significant other in our life to take care of us.
This year, whether you have a romantic partner or not, here’s an idea: take advantage of this Valentine’s day to show some love and spend quality time with the person you neglect the most—yourself. Because, if you’re like most people, I bet that self-care is the first thing you strike off your to-do list when life gets busy.
What is self-care, and why is it important?
Self-care is any activity, big or small, that promotes our well-being. Well-being is a broad term that covers physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual aspects of human existence. Similarly, self-care can be anything from brushing our teeth to attending a week-long meditation boot camp.
Since self-care is essential on multiple levels, whether we make time for it or not directly affects the quality of our life. A few examples of common acts of self-care and their benefits are:
Decompressing (through exercise or meditation, for example) protects us from burnout and anxiety
Taking care of our body and mind boosts our confidence and self-esteem
Eating healthy, sleeping adequately, exercising, and following good hygiene rules safeguards our physical health
Learning a new skill gives a sense of purpose and fulfillment
Socializing helps us to form meaningful relationships and alleviate loneliness, boredom, and symptoms of depression
Seeing a therapist helps solve trauma, have a better understanding of ourselves, and improve our mental health.
How to show yourself some love this Valentine’s Day
Who says you need to be in a relationship to do something nice on Valentine’s day? Here are a few self-care ideas, that are also fun:
1. Start the day on your own terms
Make sure you’ve tucked in bed early the night before so that you wake up feeling rested and full of energy. Then, go out for a nice breakfast, take a walk, or exercise before heading off to work. Do things that you’ve always been meaning to do before work, but never found the time to do.
2. Just splurge
Go shopping and buy something you have wanted for a long time but, preferably, don’t really need at all! Go to that place with the ridiculously pricey chocolates and buy yourself a box. The point is to do something that feels “luxurious” and extravagant. Within reasonable limits, of course, because there’s no fun in paying off credit card debt.
3. Pamper yourself
Today is totally about you, so give yourself the royal treatment. Go to your favorite spa and have a relaxing massage and a detoxifying facial mask. Treat yourself to a new haircut and a manicure, returning home looking gorgeous and feeling refreshed!
4. Explore
If you’re the curious type, you’ll enjoy dedicating this day to trying new things. Go to a gym class you’ve never tried before, eat at a new restaurant, or visit a museum. If you can take the day off, explore a new neighborhood, or go on a nearby trip.
5. Relax at home
Craving for an evening of peace and quiet? Nothing wrong with that! Stay at home and relax with scented candles, a bubble bath, and a glass of good wine. Do some meditation or read a book.
6. Socialize at home
If spending the day alone really isn’t your thing, invite a friend (or more) over and have some fun. Cook a new recipe together, make cocktails and play board games. Luckily for you, this Valentine’s is on a Friday, so you can easily turn this into a pajama party!
7. Indulge at home
Be totally lazy and order your favorite take out. Which, of course, you’ll enjoy while binge-watching your favorite show.
It’s our responsibility to keep ourselves healthy and happy so that we can take care of others in return. Therefore, self-care should not be treated as a luxury but rather as a necessity. Let Valentine’s day be just the beginning. Establish your own feel-good routines and rituals. Make a promise to treat yourself to occasional pampering and to keep your well-being high on your priority list. Self-care? Yes, please!