Valentine’s Day is best known for being a romantic holiday—but you don’t need a romantic partner to celebrate, because love comes in all forms! That’s why this Valentine’s Day, we’re putting the focus on self-love. What is self-love? It’s much more than a buzzword—in fact, self-love can lead to a better life and more fulfilling mental state. 

A blog post by PsychCentral puts it this way, “Self-love means that you accept yourself fully, treat yourself with kindness and respect, and nurture your growth and wellbeing.Self-love encompasses not only how you treat yourself but also your thoughts and feelings about yourself.”

One facet of self-love is saying positive things about yourself. Regardless of your relationship status, this Valentine’s Day we challenge you to exercise this important practice of self-love by expressing your gratitude for yourself by writing a love letter to yourself.

 

How to Write a Love Letter to Yourself

Start with the following prompt:

“Dear [insert your name here],

I’m wishing you a very happy Valentine’s Day! I’m a wonderful person, worth being grateful for. 

Here are 10 things I love about myself:

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

• I love…

Love,

[insert your name here]”

Be sure to write 10 or more things you love about yourself. Take time to really think these through—especially if you’ve had a hard time feeling confident lately. These can be either things about your personality and strengths, or physical attributes, but we’ve personally found including a combination of the two helps for a holistic self-love fest. 

Sometimes we are much more judgemental about ourselves than we would ever be about a stranger or a friend. Think about writing this letter to yourself as if you were your best friend or your secret admirer. 

To make your love letter extra special, buy a pretty Valentine’s Day card to write it on or bust out a fancy piece of stationery paper. Although you can type up your letter if you prefer, we recommend handwriting it with your favorite pen to make it extra special. Don’t forget to seal it in an envelope and write your name on it! Then on Valentine’s Day, open up the envelope and soak up the self-love.

 

Other Ways to Practice Self-Love This Valentine’s Day

In addition to writing a love letter for yourself, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate you this Valentine’s Day.

Here are a few ideas:

• Buy yourself a fresh bouquet of red roses or your favorite flowers
• Munch on some Valentine’s Day candy—there’s something special about those heart shaped boxes of chocolate!
• Take yourself out on a date—head to your favorite restaurant, cook yourself a nice meal, or head to the movie theater to watch that new film you’ve been wanting to see! 
• Take a long bath with scented bath bombs and candles
• Get a massage
• Buy yourself a Valentine’s Day gift
• Do whatever your favorite thing is—today is your day!

Check out our blog post all about the long-term benefits of self-care for more ideas. 

 

How Therapy Can Help You Practice Self-Love

Still struggling with self-love? Therapy can help us to better understand and appreciate ourselves. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, has been shown to be one of the most effective forms of therapy for improving low self-esteem. At Valera Health, our therapists are highly experienced in CBT as well as many other forms of therapy. To learn more, request a free consultation with a designated health connector or visit valerahealth.com.