5 Ways To Show Yourself Love This Month - Self-Care

Since February is considered the romantic or love month, I thought it a great opportunity for us to consider loving ourselves by taking a deep dive into the ways we can show ourselves love through self-care this month.

In today's world, it can be a challenge to find a moment to pause and pour into ourselves the way we pour into others. To stand and stare. But as the adage goes, you cannot drink from an empty cup. Our cups become empty when we don't take the time to replenish ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually.

So this month, my appeal to you is to take the time to love yourself in a way that appeals to you.

Below Are Some Ways To Show Yourself Love Through Various Forms Of Self-Care This Month

1. Activities And Habits You Love

People often forgo this step, thinking that prioritising oneself is selfish. But it is not.

Engaging in activities and habits you love and enjoy is never selfish. It is you recognising that you need and deserve to live a fulfilling life, too.

Some of my favourite self-care practices include getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, staying hydrated, journaling, praying and listening to my favourite music. Some of the practices you can do include exercising regularly, spending time in nature, practising meditation or yoga, reading, spending time with loved ones, and engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation.

Lastly, remember that self-care is about nurturing your body, mind, and soul to live a healthy, balanced, and fulfilling life.

2. Celebrate Your Achievements

Celebrating your achievements is a great way to show yourself love this month. Sometimes, I don't want to celebrate myself due to fear of becoming complacent, failing in the future and not wanting to draw attention to myself. However, celebrating achievements is an important aspect of self-care and personal growth.

It not only acknowledges all those weeks and months of dedication and hard work, but it also helps to boost your confidence and self-esteem. It also reminds you of your progress and why you started in the first place and motivates you to keep working and remain focused on your goals and dreams.

So, always take the time to recognise and appreciate your accomplishments, big or small.

3. Indulge

There was a time when guilt would riddle me whenever I treated myself to something nice or splurged on myself in any way. But over time, I learned to let it go, recognising that indulging in a healthy and reasonable way is a great form of self-care. It can help you feel rejuvenated and energised.

So treat yourself to something you enjoy: take yourself on a date, eat your favourite food, enjoy a piece of chocolate, have a relaxing bath, get a massage, or spend time doing something you love. Remember to savour every moment and enjoy the experience as you do this. By taking care of yourself, you'll be better equipped to take care of others and tackle whatever challenges come your way.

4. Express Gratitude

Over the years, I have discovered that gratitude is a powerful tool that helps to improve one's mental and emotional well-being. Practising gratitude daily helps me focus on the little things we often take for granted and the positive aspects of my life. Gratitude also helps me cultivate a sense of contentment and reduce stress levels.

There are times when we're going through hard times that we find it hard to focus on gratitude. However, if we look hard enough, we can always find something to be thankful for despite the bad happening to us. Therefore, this month, take the time to look around you, identify the good, and give gratitude for those good things in your life.

Doing this also shifts our focus away from the negative and towards the positive, which can profoundly affect our overall sense of happiness and well-being. In this way, gratitude can be seen as a form of self-care that promotes mental and emotional health.

5. Get Rid Of Toxic Friends

As we go through life, we often form friendships with people we believe have our best interests at heart. However, sometimes, these relationships can become toxic and harm our mental health and overall well-being. Toxic friendships can take many forms. It could be a friend who constantly puts you down, belittles your achievements, or makes you feel insecure. It could be someone who is always negative or critical or gossips about you when your back is turned. Or it could be someone overly demanding, controlling, or manipulative.

Whatever the situation, it's important to recognise when a friendship has morphed into an unhealthy association and take the necessary steps to rid yourself of it as a form of self-care. We all deserve to surround ourselves with people who make us feel good about ourselves and support us through the good and bad times.

Bonus Point

Forgive Yourself

I can't think of a better way to show yourself love than to forgive yourself for the mistakes that you made in life. Forgive yourself for the wrong turns you took in life, for prolonging situations and giving someone another chance, someone who did not deserve it. Forgive yourself for whatever it is that you did wrong in your life because you deserve to have peace.

If God can forgive us, why can't you forgive yourself? There is no greater way to show deep love and appreciation for yourself than to look at yourself in the mirror, exhale and let it all go. Just let it all go.

So, this month, set boundaries, be honest about how you feel, trust your gut instinct, and have the courage to end a friendship that no longer serves you.