How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day by Loving Yourself First: Self-Care and Self-Love Ideas
Valentine’s Day often centres around showing love and appreciation to others, but how often do we pause to direct that love toward ourselves? Whether you're single, in a relationship, or somewhere in between, this day can be an opportunity to embrace self-care, self-compassion, and self-love. By celebrating Valentine’s Day by loving yourself first, you can fill your own cup, making room for a richer, more fulfilling relationship with yourself and those around you.
1. Start Your Day with a Loving Affirmation
Begin your Valentine’s Day by setting the tone with a loving affirmation. Stand in front of the mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and say something kind. It could be as simple as, “I am worthy of love and respect,” or “I choose to love myself unconditionally today.” This small but powerful act can set a positive intention for the day, reminding you that your relationship with yourself is just as important as any other.
2. Indulge in a Self-Care Ritual
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to indulge in a little extra self-care. Run a warm bath with your favourite essential oils, light some candles, and listen to soothing music. Or, if you prefer, treat yourself to a cosy evening with a good book, a comforting meal, and your favourite tea. The goal is to create a space where you can relax, unwind, and connect with yourself.
3. Write a Love Letter to Yourself
Take a few moments to write a love letter to yourself. Reflect on your strengths, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the qualities that make you uniquely you. Express gratitude for your body, your mind, and your heart. This exercise can be incredibly empowering, reinforcing the idea that you are deserving of love, care, and compassion—today and every day.
4. Engage in an Activity That Brings You Joy
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, so why not celebrate by doing something that brings you pure joy? Whether it’s painting, dancing, gardening, or going for a long walk in nature, engaging in activities that make you happy is a wonderful way to show yourself love. It’s a reminder that your happiness matters, and you have the power to create it.
5. Nourish Your Body with Love
“I hate my body, I hate being seen in swimwear on holiday and I avoid exercising in public. I don’t feel comfortable in anything I wear. I have clothes in my wardrobe which I’m hoping to slim into… they’ve been there for 15 years. I usually wear something baggy to cover up my body.”
Does this sound like you?
This coaching workbook is designed to help you move from a place of hating your body, to a place of respecting and accepting your body, while also recognising that you are so much more than your appearance.
After completing the coaching exercises your body image will no longer hold you back from the parts of life you've been missing out on.
This workbook is split into three parts of coaching exercises:
1. Body Neutrality - Shifting your focus away from your physical appearance and onto the other parts of what makes you, you.
2. Body Acceptance – Learning how to show your body respect and compassion and reach a place of peaceful acceptance with it.
3. Body Confidence – Reaching the stage where we don’t let our appearance or, more accurately, the thoughts we have about our appearance, hold us back from enjoying the life we want.
//UPDATED - June 2021 // My bestselling workbook has now been expanded to include more coaching exercises and information to help you heal your body image!
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Your purchase is a digitally fillable pdf, which you can complete using your computer :)
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About the Author & Store Owner:
Karen Lynne Oliver, BA, MA, is the Founder of Beyond The Bathroom Scale®, a hub of self-help resources to aid with recovery from disordered eating and body image. Karen is also the Programme Director of The Health Mindset Programme™, a 6-month online self-help programme for anyone who wants to improve their body image and relationship with food.
Karen has had articles published in on HuffPost UK and has been featured in The Metro and Cosmopolitan Magazine. Her award-winning blog and coaching programme is based on the Health at Every Size ® approach to health and draws on the principals of Intuitive Eating, the Body Positivity movement, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Positive Psychology and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), in order to help busy women tackle disordered eating, overcome emotional eating and recover from long-term dieting via a holistic, research-led online coaching programme.
A former Social Worker, Karen comes from an academic background of Psychology and Sociology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, specialising in health and society and a master’s degree in Social Work. She has trained in Counselling skills and Psychotherapy-based approaches such as CBT, DBT and Motivational Interviewing.
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On a day often associated with chocolates and indulgence, make a mindful choice to nourish your body with love. Enjoy your favourite foods without guilt or restriction, focusing on how they make you feel. Listen to your body’s hunger cues and honour them with kindness. This approach to eating is a beautiful way to practice self-love, reinforcing that your body is worthy of care and respect.
6. Reflect on Your Journey of Self-Love
Take some time to reflect on your journey of self-love. Consider how far you’ve come, the lessons you’ve learned, and the ways you’ve grown. Acknowledge the challenges you’ve faced and how you’ve navigated them with resilience and grace. This reflection can deepen your appreciation for yourself and reinforce your commitment to continue nurturing your self-love.
7. Treat Yourself to a Special Gift
Who says Valentine’s Day gifts have to come from someone else? Treat yourself to something special, whether it’s a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a piece of jewellery you’ve had your eye on, or a day of pampering at a spa. Gifting yourself is a powerful statement that you value and cherish yourself, just as you are.
Enhance Your Self-Love Journey with The Body Image Course
Valentine’s Day is a beautiful reminder to prioritise self-love and self-care, but the journey doesn’t end here. To continue building a positive relationship with yourself and your body, consider exploring our Body Image Course.
In this course, we’ll discuss why self-compassion and body acceptance are essential for health and the damaging effects of body shaming. This part of your recovery journey is so important because, without self-compassion and acceptance, you'll never fully break away from the diet mentality. Our course will guide you through the process of embracing your body as it is, helping you prioritize your mental and physical health over weight loss. Start your journey toward true wellness today—explore our Body Image Course and discover the transformative power of self-compassion and body acceptance.
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to start loving yourself first. Let this be the beginning of a lifelong romance with yourself, one that is filled with kindness, compassion, and unwavering self-love.
Join our Body Image course to explore body acceptance and positive self-view. This video-based course includes CBT worksheets covering topics like body shaming, self-respect, media detox, and the body positivity movement.
