Why you should love yourself this Valentine’s Day.

Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or still figuring things out between yourselves, the one thing you should really celebrate this February 14th is self-love. I know, Valentine’s Day is all about couples, love, romantic getaways, gifts, dinners, red heart balloons, and so on…it’s also a time when your social media feeds are filled with couples enjoying Valentine’s Day celebrations, surprise engagements, including the “I said YES!” posts and of course the cliché love quotes. Honestly, it gets tiring, especially if you aren’t taking part in any of it, or you’re just doing something simple with your partner like going out to a nearby restaurant and watching some Netflix dramas at your place.

Too many people rely on their partner to make them feel loved, respected and special. Of course, having a partner who makes you feel like that is amazing. But if you don’t, please don’t feel down…don’t feel like you aren’t worth it or that there is something wrong with you...perhaps the relationship just isn’t working. Give up the negative thoughts, the worries, the fears, the stress. Move on and work on yourself. Learn to trust your instincts and more importantly, learn to love YOU. This Valentine’s Day, you don’t need to go on a trip to Paris, to get a diamond ring, or to escape to some couples retreat to feel special. All you need to do is do something you love…an activity that makes you happy with people (or pets) who make you smile.

What I realized in time is that self-love and self-care is the most important. If you’re not your best self, if you don’t appreciate yourself, and you don’t feel like you deserve the best, you are not going to be as happy as you could be. You also aren’t going to be the best version of yourself in your relationships (romantic or platonic). You don’t need a bogus holiday to validate your worth. You also don’t need a special gift from a partner to know that you are loved. You need to love yourself and your body. You need to be confident in yourself, in your abilities and your future. If you fill yourself with positive thoughts and project positive vibes, then you can really do anything you set out to do in this life. This Valentine’s Day, celebrate yourself. Have a glass of bubbly and make yourself feel special.