Let’s be honest, being single on Valentine’s day no matter your gender or sexuality can be extremely irritating. When you’re not in love, it feels like the ads, tiktok videos and pink, fluffy bears everywhere are haunting you.
The good news is that Valentine’s Day is about love! And Self–Love definitely counts.
I’ve spent most Valentine’s Days alone and resented it. One time I stayed home from school because I knew everyone would get something but me… well the joke’s on me because that’s the one year someone actually got me something . Then, the only two Valentine’s Days I celebrated with a significant other, my then-boyfriend made me cry each time. No, no, not tears of joy, like actually, he was mean. It’s safe to say, I chose to teach myself to enjoy Valentine’s Day.
This blog will cover Self – Love and Tips on how to enjoy Valentine’s Day.
But wait, did you know there is a SCIENCE OF SELF LOVE!?
Self-Love is the act of showing yourself kindness, appreciation and goodness. Showing ourselves, self- love is an act of compassion. Our brain has a care-giving system and this system has a hormone/ neurotransmitter called oxytocin (https://headstuff.org/topical/science/psychology/mind-your-mind-the-importance-of-self-compassion/). Oxytocin is released when we engage in trusting, calming, generous and connection (to self and others) behaviours. Oxytocin can be considered an anti-stress hormone (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15834840/ ). Practising self-compassion and raising oxytocin helps you to dwell less of the negative. This will allow you to change your mindset and having a more realistic and positive outlook. It can help decrease depression and the physiological problems that come with stress, like high blood pressure and stroke.
So on a health level, 10/10 recommend that everyone should practice self-love.
How to Practise Self-Love
It’s a lot of hard work generally, but for Valentine’s Day, Self-Love is pampering and showing up for yourself. You are deserving of love and Valentine’s Day is just a day to show yourself love.
1. Cozy Night In: Get your favourite snacks, cook your favourite meal (maybe learn a new one), catch up on your favourite shows and switch off the phone. Tonight is all about you and yourself.
2. Active Night: If you enjoy fitness, plan a challenging workout, one that you’ll have fun doing. Maybe do it at a different place. Perhaps go to a fitness event over the weekend.
3. Childhood fun: Pull out the childhood games you played by yourself and enjoy spending time with your inner-child.
4. Skin Slay: This is a personal favourite, set up a skin routine and speak affirmations and acceptances to your body. Set up: candles, dim the room and romance yourself. Start off at the shower and really massage the shampoo in while you jam out to your favourite music. Get a skin scrub if you can and exfoliate. My favourite part is as I lotion my skin, I speak affirmations and acceptances to my body. It seems silly at first but it’s helped me over-come body image issues. “I may not like xyz but than you, body, for helping me experience life, go on adventures and taking
me from A to B,” or the tiktok fav, “I do not chase, I attract, what is for me will find me.” Come up with whatever works for you!
5. Music Sesh: Pull out your oldies and newbies, dress up in your best shirt or dress and club it up in your room alone.
All of these are super budget-friendly ideas. But if you’ve got the money, take yourself on a date. I’ve sat at Wine and Wallop with a glass of wine alone and enjoyed dating myself because I’m worthy of romance. You should romance yourself too.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
You are worthy of love, especially from yourself.