February has just arrived and it is the month famously known for romantic love, with Valentine’s Day being on the 14th. However, February also serves to remind us of a love that lives far beyond that. It exists in friendships that feel safe. In people who show up consistently. In moments of care, attention and presence. Most importantly, at the centre of it all is the relationship you have with yourself, because that is the relationship that shapes how you experience every other kind of love.
Self love is not self obsession. It is not indulgence for the sake of it.
Self love is how you show up and look after yourself. How you care for your body, your mind and your inner world. It is how you speak to yourself when life feels uncertain. It is how you treat yourself when nobody is watching. It is the daily practice of choosing what supports you rather than what drains you.
When you practise self love, you show up differently. You move with more clarity. You set boundaries with less apology. You make choices that reflect care instead of pressure. Over time, self love changes how you experience your life from the inside out.
10 ways you can show yourself love this month (and always):
1. Move your body in ways that feel supportive
Movement does not have to be intense to be meaningful. Walking, stretching, Pilates, gym sessions, or dancing at home all count. Choose movement that helps you feel present in your body rather than disconnected from it.
2. Eat food that makes your body feel cared for
Nourishment is a form of love. Choose foods that support your energy, your digestion, and your mood. Eating well is not about restriction. It is about listening and responding to what your body needs.
3. Take yourself on a solo date
Going out alone can feel daunting at first. Sitting in a cinema by yourself. Ordering a coffee without anyone to talk to. Walking into a space where everyone seems paired up. But there is something powerful about learning to enjoy your own company. Solo dates teach you that your life does not need to be on hold until someone joins you. You are allowed to experience joy, curiosity, and presence on your own.
4. Buy yourself flowers
Not as a replacement for anything. Not as a statement. Simply as an act of care. Beauty has value, and you are allowed to bring it into your space just because it makes you feel good.
5. Book something that supports your body
A massage, a facial, a treatment or even an extended at home care routine. Looking after your body is not a luxury. It is part of sustaining yourself.
6. Wear outfits that make you feel like yourself
What you wear can change how you move through the day. Choose clothes that help you feel confident, comfortable, and grounded in who you are.
7. Find something that makes you feel alive
Let yourself follow curiosity. Pick up something new or lean into something familiar. An interest, a skill, a creative outlet, a practice that feels like yours. Some things exist to bring joy, to wake you up, to remind you what it feels like to be engaged with your own life. To do something because it’s fun, because it excites you, because it makes your days feel fuller.
8. Say no without guilt
This one can feel uncomfortable, especially if you are used to explaining yourself or keeping the peace. But every time you say yes to something that drains you, you say no to yourself. Boundaries are not rejection. They are clarity. Saying no allows you to protect your energy, your time, and your emotional wellbeing. The more you practise this, the more natural it becomes.
9. Romanticise your ordinary day
Play music while cooking. Light a candle in the evening. Make your everyday moments feel intentional. Your life does not need to be extraordinary to be meaningful.
10. Speak to yourself with kindness and truth
Pay attention to the way you talk to yourself. Self love grows when you replace harshness with patience and encouragement. Your inner voice matters more than you realise.
February does not need to be about searching for love elsewhere. It can be about how you choose to show up for yourself, that’s where love begins.
Anu Aborisade
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