Oftentimes, when we think about the month of February we associate it with it being the month of love because of Valentine’s Day. For readers who aren’t familiar with Valentine’s Day, it is a nationally celebrated holiday on February 14th, and it’s tradition to send roses or even write a card to someone, usually a significant other. But what if you don’t have any plans or aren’t looking for love? This is the article for you and what you can do this valentines day to show self-love.

You may ask yourself…What even is self-love? Self-love is ‘of appreciation, acceptance, and high regard for one’s own well-being, happiness, and mental health’. This is a very important thing for a person to do because it helps us accept ourselves for who we are as a person, and it can surely help our confidence and our self-esteem in the long run.

Here are 4 ways you can practice self-love this valentines day:

 Doing something that “future you” would thank you for : 

Speaking from personal experience, being a  junior in High School can be a very chaotic time, and sometimes you just wanna do nothing, but sometimes you’re just the most productive version of yourself. But at the end of the day, I love having an organized space and just having a place or a ‘home’ for everything in my room, and I’m sure most people would agree that having a clean space as a high school student is the best thing. So whether it’s from cleaning a small space up or prepping something in advance, I promise you that your future self says thank you for doing that, and the stress of it will be off your shoulders.

Taking yourself on a ‘Mini Date.’

Now I know what you’re probably thinking… a mini date? As crazy as it sounds, it’s one of the most popular ways people show self-love to this day. There are many different ways to plan a date, whether it’s going to your favorite cafe or going to the park. Learning to enjoy your own company is a very important skill to get you through life because sometimes the harsh reality is that the more people you let in your life, the more can leave, so it’s just good to have that skill. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the concept may sound awkward, but it can bring peace, and self-love isn’t selfish, and I think it’s a very important moral to know.

Set Boundaries

Now, here’s a really important topic to talk about: setting boundaries. Setting boundaries is the act of defining and communicating your personal limits regarding what is acceptable, safe, and comfortable in your interactions with others. This can be very important in today’s society because it can help protect your mental health and can help build self-respect for yourself. So, if a friend or a family member is pushing a boundary and you haven’t gotten the chance to say anything, now’s the perfect chance to speak up for yourself. Sure, it’s easier said than done, but I believe in you, and it’s just another opportunity for you to grow as a person.

Create a Self-Love Vision Board

I saved the best for last because vision boards are one of my favorite things to create as a hobby, both at the beginning of the year and for Valentine’s Day. Self-love vision boards can range from a variety of pictures, like goals, feelings, etc. It helps me, and others, focus on specific areas we wanna grow in and have confidence in.  My advice is to create a list of what you want to include, like what type of pictures, what specific affirmations you wanna remind yourself of. Having a theme or color scheme can help spruce up the self-love vision board.