Valentine’s Day is so over.
If you’re anything like us, you’ve already made big progress on all the Valentine’s candy (or maybe it’s all gone). You’ve stashed the cards and slyly tucked away the teddy bears. You’re doing your best to keep the flowers alive, to mixed results.
But once the celebration of love for others winds down, it’s time to turn up the heat on a relationship that should always be top priority: the one you have with yourself (yes, we know this is cheesy, but work with us, okay?). Getting into the habit of regularly practicing self-love is important every day of the year, and you can never be too busy to do it. Keep scrolling for seven tips that will help you start boosting that self-love.
1. Accept a compliment. Next time someone tells you that they like your shirt or are impressed with the work you did on a project, resist the urge to brush it off or jokingly roll your eyes. Why is it so hard for us to accept these basic compliments? When you make it a habit to simply nod, smile, and say “thank you,” you may just find yourself internalizing all those kind words.
2. Make a list of the things you like about yourself. Life is crazy, and we know that you probably don’t take a lot of time out of the daily routine to consider the many, many things you have going for you. We like to refer to this as boosting your body confidence.
Grab yourself a pen and paper (we’re going old school, people!) and write down every last strength or talent that makes you proud to be you. You’ll get an immediate rush of self-love, and if you tuck the list away away where it’s accessible later on, you’ll have an easy-to-find reminder of how great you are next time you’re feeling down in the dumps.
3. Give yourself some time off. We know it’s not always possible to say “thank u next” to your responsibilities and spend the day doing whatever it is feels good to you, but we do encourage you to find space in your life for dedicated down time. Cash in on some of your vacation days at work, tell your friends and family that you’re going underground for a few hours on a Saturday, or take yourself for a long drive after work with nothing but a good playlist.
4. Learn to say “no.” When you get in the habit of saying “yes” to every request or invitation that comes in from other people, you’re making yourself less of a priority than everyone else. Who wants to be number two in their own life? Make yourself number one by learning to politely decline invitations to events that actually sound awful or to requests that are actually unrealistic with your schedule.
5. Spend time with positive people. If you’re struggling to love yourself at the moment, it sounds like you need to get in touch with friends and family members who can’t help but love you! Their company will remind you of how fantastic you are. Surrounding yourself with a positive community 24/7 is a great way to ensure that you can keep your self-love levels consistent day in and day out.
6. Treat yourself. It doesn’t take big money to splurge in a way that will boost your self-love. Something as small as a new bottle of drugstore nail polish or razor can hit the spot! Making room in your budget for small items that will up your confidence level is more than acceptable.
7. Take care of your body. Have you ever heard the phrase “I work out not because I hate my body, but because I love it?” Well, it’s one of our faves. Your physical body is the biggest, most important thing on your watch, and being kind to it is the ultimate demonstration of self-love. It may look different depending on the day — sometimes, your body may be calling for an intense sweat sesh, and others it may crave a handful of cookies — so don’t be afraid to roll with the punches.
How do you cultivate self-love? Tell us on Facebook + Twitter!
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Featured image: Kyle Glenn/Unsplash; Love image: Clem Onojeghuo/Unsplash