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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Rowan chapter.

Oftentimes around Valentine’s Day, we are surrounded with motifs of love- the chocolates, the flowers, the cute little teddy bears with the hearts. Don’t get me wrong, it’s totally okay to love someone and be loved and you have every right to celebrate that! But, when we are in a society where true love is equated to happiness, being single becomes hard and seemingly equated with sadness and feelings of being unfulfilled. But, regardless, if you are single or not, we often forget how to love ourselves.

Self-love is one of the most, if not the most, important types of love. If we don’t love ourselves wholeheartedly, how are we supposed to love anyone else? It sounds cliche, but it is true. After all, self-love is what keeps much of our anxiety and depression at bay. It can be incredibly challenging to grasp, and it seems as though the people who are perfectionists and the most overworked that need to show themselves self-care and compassion. So below, I have listed some of the best ways to show yourself some love this Valentine’s Day and every day to come.

  1. Make your favorite meal and don’t feel bad about eating it.
  2. Look in the mirror and name at least 3 things you love about yourself- your hair, smile, nose, eyes, whatever it may be. Embrace what makes you different.
  3. Dance in front of the mirror and love the skin you’re in.
  4. Celebrate small victories- you got out of bed today and took a shower, you made a smoothie, you did homework, you’re breathing. It’s all worth celebrating.
  5. Have a willingness to challenge whoever or whatever you need to blossom.
  6. Forgive yourself for past mistakes- no one is perfect.
  7. Create a positive mantra and live by it. Tell yourself every day that you are worthy and beautiful inside and out.
  8. Write yourself a love note. It might sound silly, but sometimes even we need to hear how fantastic we are from our toughest critic.
  9. Be vulnerable and patient with yourself. Self-love is something that is hard and ever-changing. Be mindful of how you feel, and breathe.
  10. Find something you are grateful for every day.
  11. Surround yourself with your own definition of beauty and what makes you feel beautiful in and out.
  12. Just relax. Make time to be alone every day, even if it’s just 10 minutes where you can meditate, do it. It is great to turn off and inwards.
  13. Learn to say no. PERIOD.
  14. Laugh with yourself. Having a sense of humor for our own goofiness is one of the best forms of self-love.
  15. Do you and prioritize you.

Remember, love doesn’t have to be something that is expressed by someone else. Promote your own well being and love who you are. Make self love something that is intentional and meaningful to you. After all, you are the most important person in your life.

Maranda is a Senior Writing Arts and Emergency Management dual major at Rowan University. She hopes to become a published poetry author and eventually go to law school or work for Homeland Security. In her free time she enjoys listening to all genres of music, reading, creating art, writing poetry, and watching 80s movies.
Destiny is currently enrolled in Columbia University's MFA Writing program. She is a national writer at Her Campus and the former editor-in-chief of Her Campus Rowan. She likes thrifting, romance novels, cooking shows, and can often be found binging documentaries.