Valentine’s Day should be a celebration of every kind of love.
I have to say, even as a married woman, I have mixed feelings about Valentine’s Day. I don’t like the fact that you are expected to give someone gifts, expected to be in a relationship, or expected to want a partner, because the world is bathed in a sea of red velvet, and the chocolate companies need to sell product.
I do however love the idea of a holiday that celebrates love of all kinds. That is why this Valentine’s Day, I have decided to focus on self-love.
I know that can be taken many different ways, but whether or not you are in a relationship, practicing self love is something you should do every day. Not only will it make you happier in the long run, but it will also have positive effects on your relationship, because you will bring less of your own issues to the table, having already worked them out for yourself.
Here are a few ways you can celebrate self-love today.
Give yourself a massage. I know this sounds strange, but all you need is a tennis ball and a wall. We all deal with incredible stress in our every day lives, and making it to a massage parlor just isn’t always feasible. That being said, the lactic acid building up in your tense muscles have no respect for your schedule. Grab a tennis ball, put it against a wall, and lean against it, applying pressure to the tense spots on your back. Roll your back out in an up-and-down motion along the spine, taking the time to really apply pressure to the knots. Your entire body will thank you.
READ MORE: Three Signs You Aren’t Taking Care of Yourself
Take a tech timeout. Turn off your phone. Don’t put it on airplane mode, or ‘do not disturb’; turn it completely off. Then store it somewhere outside of your line of vision. You will notice a huge difference immediately, once your connection to the outside world is severed. It may take some getting used to, but do not turn it back on! Use this time to work on hobbies that you never normally get around to, like reading an old book, or cleaning out your closet. After an hour or so of doing other things, you should get acclimated to being tech-free. You will eventually experience a sense of freedom, and realize that you actually have the time to think about self love, instead of being so connected to the internet.
Have a dark bath. Even if you are afraid of Bloody Mary, a dark bath is a very cathartic thing to do. A dark bath just means you light one small candle, or turn the lights out completely, and take a bath in the dark. Your eyes will adjust to the darkness, and you will eventually be able to see. Also, make sure your phone is OFF! Similar to a sensory deprivation tank, a dark bath will cut off most of your other senses so you have time to reflect and think. I come up with some of my best ideas during dark baths.