EDITORIAL: Self-love should be a top priority regardless of relationship status

Graphic by — Abbey Mark

Roses are red, violets are blue, there is no one in this world you should love more than you.

This Valentine’s Day, whether you’re in a relationship or not, we encourage you to take some time to practice self-love and self-care. 

Self-love is essential because you can’t rely on an external relationship for happiness. If you always rely on one person to give you love, what will happen if that person leaves? You’ll probably end up feeling shattered. 

But if you have a strong foundation of self-love, you’ll be less likely to attach yourself to any one person, so you’ll be able to stay grounded whether that person stays or leaves. 

Another good reason to practice self-love is that it teaches you how to enjoy spending time with yourself. We spend an increasing amount of time alone as we age, so learning how to become more comfortable in your own skin now is sure to pay off in the future. 

The only person you will have with you your whole life is you, so investing in your relationship with yourself is one of the wisest investments you can make. 

Also, increasing your self-love will help you love others more fully. You can’t pour love into other people’s cups if your cup is empty. However, when you fill your own cup with love, you can spread that love to others. 

During a time when society and the media place a high priority on romantic relationships, it can be easy to believe that we need to be in a relationship in order to feel complete, but this is not true by any means. 

You can feel whole and complete exactly as you are whether you have a romantic partner or not; you just have to make the choice to affirm yourself and take care of yourself. 

With all of these points in mind, here are some tangible steps you can take to practice self-love this Valentine’s Day season: 

Write a love letter to yourself.

This may sound cheesy, but it’s an excellent way to start affirming yourself and learning to rely on yourself for the love you may be seeking externally. Plus, if you write a love letter to yourself, you will have something you can look back on when you need a little cheering up or a confidence boost.  

Do something that lights you up. 

Part of learning to love yourself involves becoming more content spending time alone, so why not start doing more things by yourself? You could work on a hobby, cook a favorite meal, or even watch a comfort movie or TV show. This is your Valentine’s Day, so take some time to do something that makes you happy.

Take some time to think about what you’re grateful for. 

Practicing gratitude will help you view your life in a more positive light. When you can count your blessings and appreciate all the people, places, and experiences you interact with in your everyday life, you can develop an optimistic mindset that will allow you to love yourself and others to the fullest. 

Self-love is crucial to your happiness and well-being, so take advantage of this Valentine’s Day — and every day of the year  — to give yourself unconditional love.