Main image courtesy of The Conversation.

Valentine’s Day: whether you love it or hate it, it’s hard to escape it, especially if you have any sort of social media. Seeing your feed overflow with pictures of happy couples and romantic dates can be annoying, but it can be especially upsetting when you’re single and feel like everyone else is in a relationship with someone.

The good news is, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic love. It’s about celebrating all of the beautiful relationships you have in your life, from your best friends to your family members. But there’s one form of love that so many people end up overlooking, and that’s self-love. Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show yourself some extra love, and here are some ideas on how exactly you can do that. 

Treat yourself

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it can be hard to find time for yourself. After you get off of work or finally finish your last class of the day, you’ll most likely find yourself feeling lethargic, drained, and not really in the mood to do anything. But this Valentine’s Day, treat yourself! After you finish your tasks for the day, let yourself relax and unwind. Don’t rush into the next thing; give yourself time to just do whatever you want. 

Treating yourself doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. You don’t have to order a $50 dinner or book a spa night, although that’s totally valid too! Just laying in bed and watching Netflix while eating some of your favorite snacks is a perfect way to treat yourself without breaking the bank or even having to leave the comfort of your own living space. 

Some other great ways to treat yourself can be doing a face mask, playing your favorite video games, or buying that gift for yourself that you’ve always wanted. For example, if you always wanted a photo book of all your favorite moments, you can create one on Mixbook. Their website is easy to use, and you can get your book in less than a week. You’ve worked hard, and you deserve to treat yourself!

Go out with your friends

Gather a few of your best friends and go out together! Spending time with people who make you feel happy and fulfilled works wonders for your mental health. You’ll feel so much more energized and feel the love from all around you. You can watch a movie together, have a game night, go shopping, take a scenic walk, or just drive around the city. The possibilities are endless!

Write yourself a love letter

Valentine’s Day is all about love, so why not remind yourself of how loved and amazing you are? Write yourself a letter about what you love about yourself. It doesn’t have to be anything super long or complicated —  just list some of your strengths out, like the fact that you’re a great cook, or that you’re really good at origami. Just write down what you like about yourself!

Don’t focus solely on your physical traits, although it’s important to love those too! Make sure you include aspects of your personality that you like, whether that’s your sense of humor, your compassion for others, or your relentless kindness. 

Treating yourself with the same love and compassion you treat others with is so important, and actually writing out what you love about yourself can really improve your self-confidence, self-esteem, and mental health. Take the time to see yourself from the eyes of someone you love instead of being so hard on yourself all the time. 

Spend some time outside

Going outside and getting some fresh air and sunlight is a great way to uplift yourself! You can go on a walk, run, or bike, or you can just sit somewhere you like outside and enjoy how beautiful the day is. 

If there’s a park near you, feel free to let your inner child go and play around for a bit. If you go out at night, try stargazing! Looking at constellations, stars, and even planets you’ve never seen before is a truly unforgettable experience. 

Do that thing you’ve been wanting to do

We all have something we’ve been wanting to do for a while, but just haven’t had the time for. This Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity for you to go ahead and do it! Maybe you’ve wanted to visit this new taco place a couple of minutes away from you, but you’ve just never had the chance to try it out. Or maybe you’ve been meaning to watch this movie or start this show but haven’t yet. Do it!

If someone you loved mentioned something they really wanted, you’d probably go out of your way to get it for them somehow, wouldn’t you? Well, why not apply that same thinking to yourself? If you really want to do something, show yourself some love and don’t hold back anymore. It’ll be super fun and worth it!

Valentine’s Day is a day of the year that plenty of people dread, especially as it’s become more and more focused on romantic love and couples with seemingly perfect relationships. However, it’s important to remember that at its core, Valentine’s Day is about all kinds of love. It’s about loving your friends and family members, and spreading that love to the people around you. But love starts with you. You deserve to treat yourself and show yourself some love this Valentine’s Day. You’re valid, loved, worthy, and awesome!