Another Valentine’s Day is coming up and if you have mixed feelings about it, there’s no shame in just celebrating yourself, loving yourself, and spoiling yourself. It’s wonderful if you have that significant other but keep in mind you don’t need a romantic partner to have a love-filled Valentine’s Day!
Get Ready to Feel the Love!
Whether it is simply pampering yourself in a healthy way that your hair and skin loves, or indulging in a delicious dinner that boosts your antioxidants, Valentine’s Day can serve you.
Love comes in many shapes and forms and they’re all worth discovering. Celebrate the love that you have for yourself. While self-care and self-love should happen year-round, use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to go all out. Here are a few ideas to prove once and for all that your true soulmate should always be yourself!
Get Pampered
Who doesn’t love to be pampered? Make Valentine's a spa day with an appointment for a mani-pedi, a massage, or whatever it is that makes you feel good and taken care of. You are royalty and deserve to be treated as such. Turn off your phone and stop answering those emails, because this time is all about YOU. As a bonus, make yourself a special, antioxidant drink that is also good for your hair.
A day at the spa not in the budget this year? Fill up your bathtub, throw in some bubbles and bath salts, light a few candles, set up your lovely arrangement of fresh flowers (we love a nice aesthetic), and pop on your current Netflix series. Don’t forget a hot cup of tea to help set the mood.
Give Back
This Valentine’s Day, remember the people who are less fortunate and choose to do something nice for those around you. Donating your used clothing, taking a shift at a food bank, making a donation to your favorite cause and reading to kids at the library are all great ways to give back and share a little bit of your love with the ones that need it most.
Every little bit counts when it comes to your local charities. If you aren’t able to head out into the community to volunteer this year, consider making a donation for your favorite charity. Cash is king, but many organizations also offer wish lists that you can purchase items from.
Hit the Town
Spend the holiday with your friends. Go out to eat or see a movie with a group of your favorite people. If you want a more relaxed night, a TV marathon at home is always a fun night. Friend love is just as important as romantic love, so show your pals what they mean to you. Nutrient-rich mocktails with an added antioxidant boost are a great way to feel good and avoid the dreaded hangover in the morning.
Meditate
Though a little challenging for beginners, meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and help cope with mental illness. Many apps like Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer help guide you through short sessions, but one can easily achieve a meditative state without any outside assistance - all you need is your breath and your mind.
Act of Kindness
Today would be a great day to do something sweet for someone you care about. Offering to babysit so a friend or close relative can go on a date night with their SO or finishing up a family member’s errands for them so they don’t have to are all great ways to lighten the load and show someone that you have their back.
Write Down Your Goals
Grab a cute notebook or journal, or even a note-taking app on your phone, and make a plan for your next 1, 5, or even 10 years. Goals can be for your career, relationships, health, hobbies, personal development, or anything else that you aspire towards. Having them down on paper can be a big motivation to take small steps in the right direction.
Whether it is improving your focus, losing weight, or just pumping up your overall health, here are simple steps you can take to make this happen.
Living intentionally involves more than simply thinking of some goals and trying to reach them. It’s about digging deeper into who you are and what you want out of life. Understanding your core – your values, your passions and your strengths – will help you create a life that’s defined by intention, which is the foundation of goal-setting.
Take Yourself on a Movie Date
OK, a solo movie date may sound a little bit strange at first, but hear us out. You don't have to compromise on where to sit in the theater, take your pick. The (movie theater) world is your oyster.
You also don't have to miss important scenes because your date is constantly asking questions about the plot. You never have to coordinate timing; you can take yourself to the movies whenever you want because you're on no one's time but your own.
If you're anything like us, you know there isn't anything better than changing into your pajamas, lighting a luxury candle, pouring a glass of red wine, and curling up on the couch with your favorite feel-good films. To take your binge-fest to the next level, though, choose your movies based on a theme.
Eat at Your Favorite Place
Solo dinners out are so underrated. You can order whatever you want, you don't have to make conversation with anyone, and you can really focus on the delicious food you're eating. Book a table for one at your favorite restaurant (or sit at the bar).
Don't feel like heading out? For a fun twist on create your own progressive dinner. For an appetizer, try a soba noodle soup. For the main course, how about a veggie burger and yummy veggie bowl. And don’t forget dessert: a delectable chia seed pudding. Or if you prefer salads, head to this article for four nutrient-packed, delicious salad recipes to treat yourself.
TREAT. YO. SELF.
Nothing wrong with a little retail therapy to get your blood pumping! Those shoes you’ve been eyeing in the store window? Buy them! Give yourself the gift of that special item you’ve been wanting to purchase but haven’t had the time to get. You don’t need a romantic partner to spoil you with your heart’s desires. If it’s going to make you happy, make that purchase! And fuel up for the shopping day with a nutrient-rich smoothie with an added shot of immunity!
Just Relax
People put so much pressure on Valentine’s Day to be this huge thing, but in actuality, it’s just another day. Don’t put too much stress on yourself to make it perfect. Whether you’re boo’d up or ridin’ solo, just go with the flow and do something or interact with someone who’s going to make you smile.
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