Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show a little extra love to your most important asset—you!
Whether you’re single or taken, it’s important to pamper yourself with the same kind of love and kindness that you’d bestow on your partner or best friend. After all, it’s easy to forget that the most important relationship you have is the one you have with yourself!
If you want to learn to love yourself, you must start with the most important component—self-love. So, grab a pen and some paper and write yourself a love letter. We’ve rounded up some tips and prompts to help you get started.
Tip #1: Face Body Image Perception Issues Head on
Shouldn’t it be easy to appreciate our bodies for all they’re capable of and all they do for us? But according to research, a majority of women harbor negative body image perceptions.
Improving your own body image perception is a lengthy process that won’t happen overnight. You have to work for it by shifting the way you define beauty and how you measure your own self-worth.
When writing your love letter to yourself, include all of your amazing qualities in your own definition. Connect with your body and appreciate the joy, pleasure and life that it brings to you each day.
If you need a prompt, start with:
I love how you…Whether it’s physical attributes or characteristics you value, write about the different ways you appreciate your body and the things it can do for you.
Choose today to start viewing your body in a positive light. When you love yourself and the body you’re in, you treat yourself with care and show up for others as your best self.
Related: 7 Ways to Fall in Love With Yourself
Tip #2: Learn to Love Your Former Self
Every version of you deserves love, acceptance and forgiveness. During your lifetime, you’ll go through many phases—both good and bad. You’ll meet and say goodbye to many versions of yourself along the way.
Maybe there are things about your past that you don’t like—things you’ve said and done that have hurt yourself and others. Well, guess what? You’re human! We all make mistakes and harbor regrets.
When you confront the dark parts of your former life, forgive yourself for what you think you did or didn’t do and focus on what you will do starting right now.
Forgiveness is the key to moving on from your past. Once you learn to forgive yourself, you can take full control of your life again.
Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself. If desired, include a description of your role in the situation and what you could’ve done differently. Then, include a statement of forgiveness. And then let it go. The ultimate goal of forgiveness is to find inner peace. Use this letter as a means to find the peace you deserve.
Tip #3: Appreciate Your Body in Every Form
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, ‘I hate my arms,’ or ‘my butt is so big?’ Replacing those negative thoughts with positive ones sounds like a good idea, but the problem is the buy in. Instead, focus on what your body is capable of.
Shift your focus from your body’s appearance to an appreciation of how it functions and what it does for your everyday life. Stop thinking, ‘I hate my arms,’ and reframe your thoughts with self-fulfilling mantras like, ‘my arms allow me to hug the ones I love.’
When you start basing your self-talk on what your body’s capable of, it helps you find that middle ground of acceptance.
In your love letter to yourself, be sure to give thanks for what your body can do for you!
Tip #4: Be Proud of All You’ve Accomplished
Think back on all you’ve accomplished—big and small. What are you most proud of? The “you” who accomplished that deserves love and praise. Take a second to show yourself some love.
Start with…”I’m proud of myself because…” And take it from there!
Final Thoughts
While things are better than they were 10 years ago, we still live in a society that values thin and fit bodies. So, it’s completely natural to wish your body matched that so-called ideal. But, in reality, few people can achieve that aesthetic in a healthy or sustainable way.
And when your body doesn’t fit this ideal image, it may lead to low self-esteem. Writing yourself a love letter can help you spend less time negatively fixated on your body and more time focused on your overall well-being.
Just remember—take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.
