With Valentine's Day around the corner, love is definitely in the air. The romantic holiday is all about expressing affection for the most important people in your life. However, don't forget to show one VIP some love: yourself. As you shower your loved ones with flowers and heart-shaped chocolates, also remember to carve some time out to pour love on yourself, too.
To give you some inspiration, here we've rounded up some of our favorite holistic ways to practice self-love on Valentine's Day and beyond.
1. Do mirror work
If you really want to take your self-love to the next level, mirror work is an empowering practice. Meet your gaze in the mirror and say a few things you love about yourself. Fair warning: This ritual may feel a bit uncomfortable and even silly at first, but the more you practice it, the more it'll unleash your inner confidence.
2. Say no more often
So often, we feel pressured to say yes to every opportunity, invitation, or favor that comes our way because we feel like it's something we "should" do. But, self-love is also about saying no to the things you don't enjoy. So, instead of saying yes to something right away, take a moment to check-in and see if it's something you're genuinely excited to do. If it's not, then respond with a polite no. Saying no to the things you don't want to do will create more time to do the things that do refuel you.
3. Have a pampering session
As the adage goes: "when you look good, you feel good." So, taking some time to give your skin some TLC is a great way to take your self-love up a notch. Even better: pamper yourself with natural skin care products that don't contain any harmful ingredients. Rael's Good Chemistry Kit, for example, comes with the Advanced Antioxidant Serum and Moisture Melt Snowball Hyaluronic Acid Concentrate that work together to hydrate the skin and bring out its natural radiance.
4. Discover your self-love language
Although the best-selling book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman focuses on expressing love between romantic partners, it can also help you figure out how to best show love to yourself, too. (Don't worry, there's a quiz for that.) Maybe you'll find that your love language is receiving gifts, so you can treat yourself to a sheet mask that'll make your skin glow as a way of practicing self-love. Or, perhaps your self-love language is quality time, in which case alone time will nourish your mind, body, and soul.
5. Explore other holistic modalities
Don't be afraid to get creative and experiment with alternative, holistic self-love practices as well. Explore things like working with crystals to balance your chakras, getting a reiki treatment, practicing breathwork, seeing an acupuncturist, or infusing your home with essential oils. See what works for you.
6. Connect with your inner child
When was the last time you did something purely for fun? Tapping into your inner child is another creative way to practice self-love. Ditch the adult responsibilities for an afternoon and do something that you have wanted to do, for like, forever, but have been too busy to do. For example, you can bust out your watercolors and paint something. Watch your favorite childhood movie. Go rollerskating. Do whatever sounds like a good time.
7. Drop the comparison
Remember that social media is a highlight reel of people's lives. You're not seeing the full picture and all the challenges that may be going on behind the scenes. So there's no sense of wasting your precious energy comparing yourself to other people and their shiny accomplishments. Instead, use that energy to propel you forward towards your goals and remember that you are doing an excellent job.