Self Care Sunday: Valentine's Day Edition

Valentine's Day is tomorrow. How do you celebrate?

I know that Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that people either love or hate, I personally love it. Not because I need some big elaborate showing of love on this day, but I just love love. I grew up on Disney movies & now that I'm older (I still watch Disney movies, lol) I watch the cheesy Hallmark channel romance movies. So I forever have that fairytale romance in my mind. And while we should show our loved ones how much we care about them everyday, not just one day a year, it's still nice to have a day dedicated to it.

I know that some people dread this day. They feel it's become too commercialized (it has, but I try not to buy into that part of it) but most often they dread it because they feel like they MUST have a date. That is what this day is all about, right? Wrong. This could not be more untrue. Like I said, Valentine's Day is a day about love...that also means love for yourself. Which is truly the most important. Which is why I try to remind you every week to take some time for yourself, because self love really, truly is the most important. But showing yourself love and compassion can also be the most difficult.

So, for Self Care Sunday today, I challenge you to show yourself the love and kindness that you show to others.

If you think about it, sometimes it feels so easy to show those that you care about, how much you love them. It's easier to do nice things for them, buy them little treats, or just to simply put them first. So why is it so hard to do these things for ourselves? For me personally, I just love to take care of others. I want to help, I aim to make the world better, if even in the smallest ways. That includes doing things for everyone else, and not necessarily for myself. But this is also not sustainable. You need to take care of yourself too. You need to remind yourself that you are important, that you are worthy of love and adoration just as much as everyone else. If you don't take the time for self love, you will eventually burn out. By giving everything you have to everyone else, you will begin to run on empty. Trust me, I've been there...I'm kind of there right now. I know that it's so much easier said than done and it can at times feel selfish, but showing yourself love and kindness is so extremely important and it really is not selfish at all...it's necessary.

One of the best ways that you can show yourself love and kindness is by taking some time for you. Do something for yourself today that you love. Maybe that's reading, taking a bubble bath, cooking your favorite meal, buying yourself flowers or chocolates...ANYTHING. Anything, to show that you love and appreciate yourself.

So remember, while you're taking time this Valentine's Day to show others how much you care about them, don't forget about yourself. Buy that candy, see that movie, cook that meal...treat yourself to what makes you happy. You're pretty amazing, remind yourself of that.