Whether you're spending Valentine's Day with a significant other, a friend, a pet, or family, we have compiled some self-love rituals in honor of Valentine's! These rituals can be built into your daily life, and don't come with a price tag.
Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations can be a very effective way to show love to yourself and build your confidence! Often times we engage in negative self-talk and say things to ourselves that we would never say to a good friend. This Valentine's Day, spend some time writing out positive affirmations that you can use every day to help become your own best friend. Here are a few examples related to self-love:
- I am enough
-I am more than my body
-I am worthy of infinite compassion
-I am grounded and peaceful
-I am not my negative thoughts
-I am one of a kind
-I was created for a purpose
Self-Love Meditation
Meditation can be intimidating when you're just starting out, but it is a great way to connect with your inner self and start the day off feeling centered! There are many mediation apps and free guided meditations on youtube that you can look through until you find one that works for you. While meditating, you can complete a body scan in which you close your eyes or have a soft gaze, and slowly check in with each part of your body. It is helpful to stand and do some gentle movements while you scan up from your feet, or down from the top of your head. If you notice soreness or pain in any part of your body, try breathing deeply into that area and spend some extra time doing gentle stretches. You can also pair this with your positive affirmations to create a self-love morning routine!
Love Letter
Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to recognize the parts of yourself that you love! Consider writing a letter to your future self about the goals you hope to accomplish and the awesome things about yourself that will help you reach them! Consider writing a love letter to your past self about how much you've grown and something about yourself that used to make you feel insecure that you have grown to love.
For children, you could ask them questions and write out the letter for them based on their answers, or use it as a conversation starter. Another great craft idea is to make a visual outline of a person and have them draw pictures inside about what they love about him or herself! Remember to model attributes about them that you really like such as their kindness, their bravery, or how hard they work at a task!
Journal Prompts
Journaling can be a great way to let your thoughts flow without judgement. First you can pick out a journal that you like or decorate a notebook you already have, and then get started! Each day consider using one of the journal prompts below to get you started:
- I felt good about myself when...
- The best part about my personality is....
-I am happiest when...
-Today I overcame...
-I feel most confident when...
-I am grateful for...
-Three qualities I love about myself are...
-The best compliment I have ever received is...
-How would your best friend describe you?...
I hope you have a chance to try out these ideas and show yourself the love you deserve! Comment below your favorite of these ideas, or another act of self-love!