Valentine's Day comes and goes, but how many of us tend to only plan the day around dates with our partners? Probably most of us. But it doesn’t need to be so. Celebrating the day by yourself is also a form of celebration of Valentine’s Day.
14th February is the perfect opportunity to feel loved, in peace and shower love on oneself. No matter how much the day focuses on togetherness and the love between spouses, we can never deny the sense of pride and fulfilment that comes by celebrating self-love. Loving yourself is the best form of love, irrespective of your relationship status. When you can be your own Valentine, you know you’re experiencing one of the strongest forms of love.
“How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” - Rupi Kaur
True, no?
What Does "Be Your Own Valentine" Mean?
‘Be your own Valentine’ has become a pretty popular quote in the last few decades. We come across the quote often before or during Valentine's week in several advertisements on radio, TV or social media. But what’s all the fuss around it?
In simple terms, to be your own Valentine means prioritising self-love, self-care, and appreciation for your own company. It's about recognizing your strengths, accepting your flaws, and treating yourself with the same kindness and compassion that you would offer to your loved one. In short, it's about becoming your own best friend and ally, affirming your value, and finding joy in your own presence.
Sweet, no?
7 Tips for Women to Be Your Own Valentine this Valentine’s Day
While women often let their needs and wants take a backseat to fulfilling their duties and responsibilities toward family and relationships, loving yourself helps women regain the strength and confidence to be themselves again. It’s especially true for ladies in their mid-30s to 60s. Women of this age range remain completely tangled in their familial responsibilities and barely have time for themselves. Here comes self-care for women. It doesn’t harm anyone when we practise self-love, no? So follow these self-love tips to make this Valentine’s Day memorable for yourself:
1. Be Fun
Remember the dress that has been stacked up in the wardrobe for months and you’ve not mustered up the courage to put it on yet? Bring it out, and slip it on the most romantic day of the year. Now take a pic of your confident self and simply share it on social media with a fitting quote. It’s your way of showing love to yourself. It’s a way to set yourself free and not worry about what others think. Life is all about ‘live and let live’. Being fun helps you get over the roadblocks that otherwise might have weighed you down.
2. Keep Time Aside for Self-Care Rituals
Taking care of your soul, mind and body makes you feel good about yourself. Take a soothing bubble bath or a quiet nature walk, or simply spend time practising your hobby or cook your favourite dish - whatever makes you happy and feel healthy, do it for yourself.
3. Your Imperfections Make You ‘You’
Instead of striving for unattainable perfection, accept them as your uniqueness and quirks. Remember that imperfection is what makes you beautifully ‘you’. As Barbara Corcoran has rightly said, ‘Forget about perfection. It doesn’t exist.”
4. Set Boundaries
The first mistake women make around their loved ones is setting no boundaries. It allows everyone around women to walk all over them. Don’t let others treat you lightly. Learn to say no to things that drain your energy or compromise your well-being. Establishing healthy boundaries is essential for keeping your emotional and mental health at its peak.
5. Engage in Positive Self-Talk
Monitor how you talk to yourself when the world around you is silent. You can be your biggest destroyer and the most brutal destroyer. A mindset of self-empowerment and affirming your worthiness daily can shift your perspective of yourself.
6. Invest in Personal Growth
When your life feels stagnant, simply spend some ‘me time’ exploring new interests, pursue lifelong learning, and invest in experiences that expand your horizons. Go for solo trips, take yourself to movies/restaurants, read books or join a new course - you will surely find your purpose in life.
7. Cultivate Gratitude
No matter how hard life feels, never forget that you are blessed to have this life. So count your blessings every time you breathe, every time you take a step, every time you feed yourself and others around you or every time you see a new beginning.
There’s no love like self-love. Self-care for women lets them experience the love they desire. Don’t shy away from finding yourself on this Valentine's Day. Don’t skip the opportunity to be your own Valentine this year and every year thereafter. So practise self-love and self-care to be on a fulfilling journey of personal growth and discovery.
So, this Valentine's Day, pour the highest love and attention on yourself. Celebrate the beautiful, resilient, and extraordinary person that you are. Be your own Valentine, and watch as your heart blossoms with an abundance of self-love and appreciation.
Hope this blog by Menoveda gives you an insight into what self-love is and how it can empower you to move forward with new found strength and hope. As women of 40s to 50s often go through 40+ menopause symptoms and signs that severely impact women’s day-to-day lives, don’t hesitate to include menopause supplements in your routine for self-help and self-care.
FAQs
What does your own Valentine mean?
Being your own Valentine means taking care of yourself, loving yourself and appreciating your worth. It's about nurturing the most important relationship you'll ever have – the one with yourself.
Is Valentine's only for lovers?
Valentine's Day mostly revolves around romantic love, but it can also be an opportunity to celebrate all forms of love, including self-love, platonic love, and familial love.
