February means Valentine’s Day. Lovers traditionally celebrate it on the 14th of February by wrapping their other half in sweet gestures, experiences, or treats. Candlelit dinners in a gourmet restaurant or at home, rose bouquets, and chocolates are all Valentine’s Day musts.
However, love is not exclusive to couples. What if this year, we put our attention towards another type of love, self-love?
How to practice self-love
What if you could discover another side of love this February? Not the one we show our loved ones, but the one we show ourselves.
Health care professionals will tell you: self-love is the key ingredient of wellbeing and even mental health. Have you defined yourself most of your life through your professional endeavours and your engagement towards your family? Those are perfectly normal things to be proud of. However, retirement brings multiple opportunities to seniors, such as dedicating time to pamper yourself! Use this period to recognize your true worth as an individual and to find worth in other aspects of your life.
Did you know that your level of self-love is closely linked to your general degree of satisfaction in life?
For this reason, we suggest you explore these 5 ways to take care of yourself and cultivate self-love.
1. Allow more time for yourself
Taking care of yourself calls for spending time with yourself; some time to slow down, to do the things that make you happy, and to question yourself to learn to know yourself a little better. Schedule appointments with yourself and mark these precious moments in your calendar, just like you would any important appointment. Have you heard of Slow Living? This movement, or more accurately this mindset, invites you to slow down. It translates into connecting with your deeply rooted values and implementing them into your daily life for some long-term fulfillment. It precisely means to be aware of what is good for you and your soul.
2. Make a list of what makes you feel good
Make a list of 10 things that bring you pleasure, comfort, or delight for you to go back to when you need a dose of love. Whether it be your favourite dessert, a walk with your dog, a yoga session, or a nice warm bath, pick and choose from your wellbeing list as often as possible. Here is a quick idea: why not write each of them down on a piece of paper and mix them up in a beautiful jar which you can keep close to you? Are you in need of some gentleness? Your happiness jar awaits!
3. Know your worth
Take a few seconds every day to look in the mirror and compliment yourself about an aspect of yourself or a personality trait. This practice will push you to identify your strengths and qualities, and to recognize your worth. If necessary, stick a note on your mirror that says, “positive zone”. That way, every time you pass by, you are reminded of the great relationship you have with yourself!
4. Be in tune with yourself
Be in tune with your emotions and feelings. Listen to your inner voice, learn to trust your intuition and to make it an ally. That way, it will be easier for you to trust in your decision making. Be comfortable with setting boundaries and respecting them. This often implies saying no, even to the ones we love most. But this also means that you are saying an important yes to yourself! It is not always easy to begin with but choosing yourself is an extremely gratifying exercise. It will make both you and your entourage proud!
5. Pamper yourself
Self-love is also about small gestures that will help take care of your body and mind, of your overall health. Take care of your feet by massaging them, of your face by getting a facial, of your heart by going on a nice walk in nature, or of your digestive health by drinking a freshly pressed fruit juice. These small gestures are all tokens of the love you show yourself and the worth you grant yourself.
The health benefits of self-love for seniors
Imagine a day where you’re watching the news in a loop for an hour straight, you just want to rest but you undergo an uninteresting conversation with someone for fear of upsetting them.
By analyzing this situation, you quickly realise that choosing the programs you watch is a good thing. On the contrary, exposing yourself to a constant flow of bad news is hard on your morale.
It is natural to want to take a nap or to read a good book while comfortably settled. There is no need to criticize yourself for it; you’ll go out tomorrow! Instead, just sit down and relax.
The fear of upsetting others or the habit of always pleasing others is often the source of losing ourselves and straying from our needs and desires. Choosing yourself may start with small gestures like escaping a time-consuming and unnecessary conversation.
Surrounding yourself with kind people, laughing with them, and sharing moments of complicity is also rooted in self-love.
In a nutshell, make it a habit to think about yourself, you won’t be called selfish for it; you will simply honour your deepest nature.
Self-love stems from knowing yourself. The starting point is identifying what brings you joy and serenity. Consider yourself as your own best friend. It will help you in your daily life, like when you ask yourself “what could I do today that would make me feel good?”
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Sources (mostly in French):
https://les-defis-des-filles-zen.com/emotions/saimer-soi-meme-6-exercices
https://www.psychologue.net/articles/exercices-sur-lamour-de-soi
https://luminosante.sunlife.ca/s/article/s-aimer-soi-meme?language=fr