Treat Yourself to Self-love Today and Everyday
Love, romance, dating & relationships are some of the many buzzwords as we approach the month of February to celebrate as the greatest day of love Valentine’s Day.
For some the run up to this day can evoke feelings of joy, togetherness and gratitude. For some it can bring up feelings of loneliness, painful memories, sadness and insecurity. For some it maybe a bag full of mixed emotions.
It isn’t uncommon for the mind to navigate these emotions by getting lost in thoughts of self-judgment, blame and criticism. And while we imagine that this may lead us to finding a solution, it is more likely that we end up feeling more distant from the very joy we are seeking.
So how do we inch a little closer to that sense of joy and love ?
By directing that very love, care and support INWARD.
So, this valentine’s-day take a small step to celebrate yourself, love yourself, care for yourself and be compassionate towards yourself.
After all, “ You, yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” – Buddha
Why self-love?
Because as humans we are wired for connection, validation and support. We are geared to seek all of this externally. Any gap between our expectations and our reality can create immense distress. What we often forget is that this same connection, validation and support can be fostered internally.
Honoring your wholeness- acknowledging your strengths and accepting the inevitable imperfections that make you human can foster a sense of safety and emotional wellness. Moreover, loving yourself first and creating a deep, internal relationship can have a positive effect in multiple spheres of your life.
Better Understanding of Your Own Needs
Self-love creates space for what you may be needing to feel a sense of meaning and purpose in life. It entails identifying what you need, prioritising them and engaging in relations and activities that truly feel right for you.
Honouring Your Capacities
How often do you beat yourself up for not being the perfect partner ? For not having the ideal relation ? For being single ? What results is a feeling of shame, guilt and unhappiness. With a little bit of compassion towards yourself you are likely to see that in the here and now you are doing well. You are also more likely to replace the harsh judgements with curiosity for why things are the way they are!
Setting Compassionate Boundaries
A little bit of self-love and self-care can go a long way in creating compassionate boundaries with your loved ones as well. You are more likely to preserve your own energy and protect your relations when you are kind to yourself. Kindness towards self also creates space for compassion towards our loved ones.
Loving Others Authentically
It is common notion that you can only give what you have and yet there can be times where we expend a great deal of energy loving others without directing some of it to ourselves. While this may help in the short run, it can evoke feelings of insecurity and exhaustion in relationships. Give yourself some of that kindness and care and you are
likely to experience your relationships with a lot more authenticity and joy.
How can you love yourself?
Self-love can be grown, cultivated and nurtured through simple actions that can foster greater emotional, physical and mental well-being. Here are some ways in which you can engage in small rituals to forge a loving connection with yourself this valentine’s day.
1) Forgive yourself for one mistake that you may have made. Remember to err is human. Forgiving yourself can actually redirect you to new efforts.
2) Recognise your strengths and give credit to your unique qualities that make you, YOU.
3) Compliment Yourself by tell yourself something that you would like to hear the most from others. This can look like telling yourself ‘I love you’, ‘You are doing well’ or even hugging yourself.
4) Practice self-affirmations. This can look like telling yourself “I may not be feeling good about myself, but I can do one kind thing for myself”; “I am feeling frustrated and I am building my tolerance for it”.
5) Practice simple self-care, taking time out for yourself, ensuring you are eating well and getting adequate rest. Give yourself the permission to step back, start over and relax!
Here is wishing you a lot more love, joy and connection this Valentine’s Day!
Hi Mayura!
We are so glad to hear that you are able to connect with your inner self and nurture it through meditation and self care 🙂
Thank you for your lovely comment. Happy Valentine’s Day and a wonderful year to you too!
Hello Mindfulness Team !
I wish you all a wonderful Year and Valentine day!
Its so relevant to my views on this Valentine day , after long years of seeking answers regarding establishing a high quality, loving and peaceful relationship with others ! I could connect to myself for sometime and was at peace with myself after mindfulness meditation.
I am really surprised to know the magic of Self Love and Mindfulness when I focused on nurturing my Innerself with meditation and self care, instead of seeking Love outside.
It just happened with the practice of wonderful mindfulness meditation as when I have time , I practice and the guidance of Sadia Maam last year when I joined 8 weeks Mindfulness Program.
Love and Best Wishes !
Mayura Khastagir