Valentines Day can sometimes be a very polarising celebration for people. Some of us look forward to the day and go to great depths to plan something with our significant others. Some of us resent the holiday for various reasons — we might find Valentines day corny and overrated, or feel upset at not having anyone to celebrate Valentines with.
However, regardless of which of these groups you fall in, there is one aspect of Valentines Day that we can all learn to celebrate! At the heart of this celebration, it's all about love. Love comes in many forms, and romantic love is merely a particular form of it. There are other types of love that are equally essential for anybody's well-being. Platonic love — the love you have for your friends, familial love — the love you have for your family members, and even more importantly, self-love.
The ancient greeks themselves believed that in order to truly love others, one had to first learn to love themselves.
Instead of giving other people gifts, how about giving back to yourself? Give yourself the love and validation you most certainly deserve!
Without any further ado, here are some ways you can celebrate yourself, and your love for yourself, this Valentines!
1. Make Yourself Your Favourite Dinner
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Treat yourself to a self-indulgent dinner at home. Cooking can be surprisingly therapeutic! The tactile feeling of holding the ingredients and eating a hot, freshly-cooked meal can do wonders for your mood.
Plan for this meal the same way you would for a loved one. Think about what kind of meal you'd like to have, and set aside some time to shop for the ingredients you need.
If your work life is hectic, save time by preparing your ingredients the night before. You can leave meat to marinate overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, there are plenty of slow-cooker recipes available online — simply chuck the ingredients in and come home to a hot meal that's ready to be served.
If you'd like to be even more self-indulgent, take the extra step to make your solo dinner fun and atmospheric — have it by candlelight and play some music in the background. The reward is worth the effort you're making. After all, if you'd do this for somebody else you love, why wouldn't you do it for yourself?
2. Simply Let Yourself Unwind & Have Fun
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There are many ways to celebrate Valentines Day, romantic dates aren't the only way you can have fun! Meet up with some friends and have a fun night out, filled with laughter and cheer! Go ahead and do whatever it is that makes you happy.
Alternatively, if you're more of an introvert, or your social battery has been drained as of late, stay in and curl up with a good book and a nice drink. The point is to prioritise yourself and do whatever makes you happy.
3. Take a Break From Social Media
Are you sick of seeing posts and stories about Valentines day? Being bombarded by romantic-themed content can get overwhelming, regardless of whether you're single or not.
Disable your social media notifications and put away your phone for the day. You'll feel a lot better. Having a constant stream of content about something can do a lot more harm to your mental state than you think — you'll only notice how adverse its effects were after you remove them from you.
4. Spoil Yourself
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Treat yourself! Book yourself that spa or manicure session that you've been wanting. You deserve to be pampered. Let yourself do something for you.
If you're tight on a budget, you could always treat yourself in other ways. You could always treat yourself to an at-home spa day. There are plenty of fun home DIYs for you to try, from hair and face masks, to body washes, body lotions, baths and facial massages.
5. Write to Yourself
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Celebrate your love for yourself, and give yourself the validation you've been craving. Open up your journal and think about everything that you love about yourself. It can encompass physical traits, personality traits, your accomplishments, your passions and interests, your beliefs. Most importantly, you ought to celebrate your progress and everything that you have done for the past few years.
Appreciate the steps you've taken and how far you've come. Realize what an awesome person you are!
Happy Valentines Day!