Valentine's Day is a holiday that leaves everyone longing for big romantic gestures, perfectly planned dates, and relationships that you can only find in 2000s romcoms. However, what if we shift our focus to loving and caring for a very important person this Valentine's Day—you! Here are my 10 favorite ways to practice self-love:

Emotional Wellbeing

1. Practice Self-compassion

We’re all guilty of being too hard on ourselves and we often put ourselves down over our academic performance or nitpick flaws in our appearance. By practicing self-compassion, you can build confidence by understanding that people aren’t perfect, and we aren’t too. A simple way to practice self-compassion is through daily affirmations. ‘I am’ is a great app that can help you implement them into your daily life.

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2. Check In With Your Emotions

As teenagers, our lives are filled to the brim with extracurriculars, homework, and countless commitments barely leaving us a second for ourselves. When life becomes overwhelming, taking a moment to check in with your emotions is a great way to practice self-love. Journaling is a great way to do this.

There are endless prompts online that encourage you to reflect on topics like your values, opinions, and experiences. What I like about journaling is that it is a judgment-free space so you can write freely without worrying about other’s opinions.

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3. Be Proud of Yourself

When was the last time you took a moment to appreciate yourself? If no one has told you today, you are amazing, and you should take time to be proud of your achievements. Write down reasons to be proud of yourself, even if they are as small as you remembered to brush your teeth in the morning. By appreciating your small victories, it gives you the confidence to pursue even bigger goals.

4. Try Gratitude Journaling

A great way to practice self-love is by appreciating what you have in your life. You learn to notice the small things that improve your day when you take the time to think about what you are grateful for. Not only does it encourage self-reflection, but I find that it also brings you a little bit of joy knowing about the great things that surround you in your everyday life.

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Take the Quiz: Are You Obsessed or Fixated?

Answer these question to know if you are fixated or obsessed. Self-awareness is the first step to stopping.

Physical Wellbeing

5. Pamper Yourself

Only 30% of Americans set aside time for self-care, despite the numerous benefits it offers. The best thing about this method of self-love is that you can do as little or as much as you want! Whether you do a face mask and an early night in or a manicure whilst catching up on your favorite TV show, setting aside time to care for yourself is one of the best ways to feel better on a bad day.

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6. Go Outside

1 in 4 adults spend 70% of their day sitting and I don’t think we realise how much this affects our mental health. As the weather starts to get nicer, spending a few hours in the sun could become your go-to on a bad day. Not only does it improve your mental health, but it’s also a great way to romanticize your life, giving you an opportunity for a main character moment.

7. Move Your Body!

You’ve probably heard it a million times before, but exercise is fantastic for improving your mental health. Activities like dancing, sports, and running are brilliant ways to include exercise in your day without having to go to the gym. Maybe you could even join a sports team and make some new friends as well as improving your mental health!

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Mental Wellbeing

8. Allow Yourself to Relax

It’s easy to put pressure on ourselves to be productive all the time, especially when we hear about how much our friends are studying or when we see those 10-hour study videos on YouTube. However, relaxation is vital for preventing burnout and promoting our mental health. There is no one way to relax but once you find an activity that works for you, I promise it’ll become your go-to when life becomes stressful. For example, you could:

· Meditate

· Use a coloring book

· Read

· Listen to music

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9. Be Creative

Pick up a paintbrush, pencil, or even your phone camera and create some art! Engaging in creative activities scientifically proven to reduce stress and enhance your mental health. Pinterest is a great place to start when looking for ideas and you could even include some of your friends by holding a Valentine's-themed craft night!

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10. Avoid Social Media

If the recent TikTok ban has taught us anything, it’s that we are dependent on social media. Constant notifications keep us sucked in and short-form content consumes our hours. Sometimes it feels nearly impossible to live without it.

Recently, I’ve switched to Instagram for Pinterest, and I’ve already noticed how different I feel without Tiktoks, shorts, or reels in my life. I’d 100% recommend it to anyone!

Time spent looking after yourself is never time wasted. Similarly, self-love is not nearly as difficult to work towards as people think it is. So, this Valentine’s Day, give some of these tips a go! You never know, it could change your life.