SUNSHINE AURA – self-esteem. self-love. self-actualization. 

February is here! Cue the dozen roses, heart-shaped chocolate boxes, red and pink Cupid socks from Target, and sending/receiving valentines.

February is a time when we are encouraged to think of those we love – romantic partners, family, close friends, our community – and show them we care with an act of kindness, or maybe even a gift. Whether or not the holiday is truly about love, or if it’s just another “Hallmark holiday,” I will leave to you.

Nevertheless, Valentine’s season can be a very empowering time to remember to love one of the most important people you’ll ever be in a relationship with: yourself.

We’ve just made it through the first month of the year. Our goals for 2024 are still fresh. Hopefully you still have that new-year glow in your heart, the eagerness to make fresh starts and openness to change. Realistically, you may already be slipping a bit. Adjusting your schedule to make time for new habits might be getting challenging. Work and school could be picking back up again. Your family might have demands too high to meet if you’re regularly making time for your goals. The stress and disappointment in yourself for falling short might be creeping in.

And that is why I ask you: are you prioritizing self-love this Valentine’s season? It’s wonderful to show love toward the people in our lives we care for most, but none of that will feel half as good if you don’t first start with you. Developing self-love must be a conscious choice. It won’t just happen on its own. You must intentionally decide each day you’re going to show yourself kindness and respect. You must actively lend an ear to listen to your intuition and the needs of your mind and body. Prioritizing self-love will enhance your contentment in every area of your life.

Self-love can be expressed any way you like. If you’re spiritual, you could practice saying affirmations and do a tarot spread. If you’re logical, you could put together a puzzle solo or review your finances and create a budget. If you’re whimsical, you could take yourself on a date for tea followed by a leisurely stroll through the art museum. It can be anything you want. Even just sitting on your couch for thirty minutes in silence with no agenda can revitalize you more than you’d think.

In honor of this month of love, I will strive to bring you content related to self-love: how to cultivate it, how to nurture it, and how to allow it to grow.

Here’s to you and loving yourself! Feel free to share in the comments your favorite ways to practice self-love.

To your health and happiness this Valentine’s season,
Kayla