We all know February is known for Valentine’s Day, Groundhog Day, and President's Day. It is also Black History month and American Heart month. Did you know it is also Senior Independence month? What?? And these are only the main celebrations. This short month packs a lot in. Last year my blog posts were all about heart health. You can go back and read those if you want to learn more. 

This month, I am blogging about taking care of and loving yourself. Since you are the most important person in your life (and I don’t mean that in a selfish way, it’s just a fact), you must take care of yourself to be fit to take care of others. Simple fact. You can only give as much as you have in you to give. You can not continue to pour out of an empty vessel. It is simply impossible. So why would you think you could continue to give when you are empty yourself? That is just disaster waiting to happen in the realm of your health.

Last week I wrote about what self-care is and how to implement it. If you haven’t read that post, now would be a good time to do it. This week I want to talk about loving yourself. Yes, you must take care of your physical body. Yes, you need to nourish your spirit. Yes, you need to mind your mental condition. And yes, you really, really need to learn to love yourself. 

That sounds like a tall order, I know. Loving yourself, really loving and appreciating yourself can be extremely difficult. You can learn, though. Start with some small steps. Here are some suggestions I have taken and implemented in my life. Try it. It works!

Get yourself a journal. Every morning and every evening, write at least one thing you love and appreciate about yourself. Some examples:

I love:

1. My hair

2. My fingers that can hold things for me

3. The fact that I brush my teeth twice a day (great self-care)

4. My eyes that let me see the world around me

5. My willingness to learn new things

6. My heart that keeps on beating

7. My desire to help others

8. My positive attitude

9. My mind that allows me to remember how to cook, clean, walk, talk

10. My smile that is always ready to appear when someone needs one

You get the idea. Start simple. Write down the obvious. As you continue with the exercise you may be surprised at what you have been taking for granted. The more you write, the more you will see yourself as the amazing creature that you are. Learn to see yourself as God sees you. You have been created for a purpose. You may find the more you learn to love and appreciate yourself, the more your purpose will come to light. 

This is an exercise you can do with someone else too. Instead of writing what you love about yourself, write what you love about them. Or, if you are really feeling bold, sit down facing the other person and take turns sincerely stating the things you love about each other. What better Valentine’s gift could you give than to tell that special someone WHY you love them, to their face, with sincere and heartfelt words. 

Want to be bold beyond belief? Stand or sit in front of a mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and start listing the things you love about yourself. THAT can be a very moving experience with incredible emotional breakthroughs!

Learning to love yourself is one of the most wonderful gifts you can give yourself and others. Skip the box of candy, get yourself some flowers, a journal, and give this exercise a go. You are worth it!!