2-20-2025 12:14pm

Health Wise: Post-Valentines Self-Love Challenge

Maria Hadden MS LLP Contributor

With Valentine’s Day in the rearview, there’s still a bit of February ahead of us, so why not keep the love energy flowing? Let’s focus on directing love towards ourselves.

Whether you loved the holiday, hated it, or fell somewhere in between, self-love is a topic we can all get behind!

Often, we spend much of our energy loving others - partners, children, family. We take care of those around us, and we prioritize their needs. Sometimes, we forget to take care of ourselves and our needs with the same urgency, push ourselves to the bottom of the priority list, and then find ourselves stretched thin and exhausted. To be the best we can be for our loved ones, we have to keep up our own health and well-being! We often use the term “put your own oxygen mask on first” to explain this concept.

So, how can we focus on self-love and self-care this month and onward?

First, take inventory of what brings you joy and satisfaction. Can you name a few things you are currently making time for that bring you these feelings? Make a list of things, ranging from small, simple, affordable things you can do anytime to bigger things you can work towards scheduling.

Check in with what you perceive as your current support system. Who is your go-to person or people, when you need your cup re-filled? Are your regular interactions having that effect? What social activities have you been a part of, and is it more or less than you would prefer? Think about your social battery, and what state it’s been in. Then, lay out a plan to adjust accordingly. Remember those SMART goals we talked about a few weeks ago?

Make health a focus, whatever that looks like to you. For example, add some fruits and veggies to your kitchen, or make a meal you haven’t made in a while, that you know makes you feel good. Move your body in whatever way you can. Stay away from unrealistic weight loss or workout goals, but encourage yourself to stay active. For example, take walks (inside or outside), stretch, or try a new activity (such as yoga). This can be more fun with a friend, so ask loved ones to join you. Then, these activities can double as social support, as mentioned above!

Consider some spring cleaning. Sometimes a cluttered space or having too many things that don’t bring you joy can make us feel down or stressed, such as clothes that you don’t wear anymore cluttering your closet space and making getting ready in the morning hard. Re-organize, re-decorate, and make your space feel right for you. Present this to yourself as a fun activity, rather than a chore. Watch some home organizing shows or check out some ideas and inspiration online. Put on some music while you do it. Once you’ve updated or organized your space, you’ll feel the benefits immediately.

Focus on spring energy in general. Get a new plant (or propagate a current one), add bright, springy colors to your home, eats fruits and veggies, and get out in the sun anytime it shows itself. Try to notice anything that makes you feel like warmer days are imminent… they are!

Finally, consider some targeted mental health activities, which can range from journaling and meditation to trying or returning to therapy. For example, a self-love meditation like this or this can help you focus on you, and some journaling prompts like these can do the same!

Bonus - grab some half-priced Valentine’s chocolates at a store near you! That’s self-love, right there!