Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to treat yourself and the ones you love to something special. But a bit of extra love goes a long way every day of the year, regardless of the occasion. This February, focus on loving yourself because it’s important to show appreciation to you, from you!
Life can get busy and overwhelming! Being conscious about taking the time to care for ourselves and making sure we are okay is good for our physical and mental health. Focusing on your mental and physical health can make a huge difference in everyday life, and right now is the perfect time to start just that!
How to make time for yourself this year
It’s time to start saying, “yes” to yourself and, “no” to the negative influences in your life. Life is too short to make excuses when it comes to your overall well-being. It’s time to put yourself first and that starts by making time for you.
Start by establishing a goal to set aside 15-30 minutes of your day to dedicate to yourself. During your “you time,” do something that makes you happy. Read a book, exercise, paint, organize something in your home, journal, meditate, nap—anything you enjoy that will help make you a better version of yourself.
Maybe you try to set down electronics during this time and step away from the screen. Looking for a real challenge? Go to the settings of your cellphone and put time limits on apps to help you avoid aimlessly scrolling through social media. Once you hit your daily limit of social media or screen time, you may feel encouraged to pick up that book you’ve been wanting to read!
Is your New Year’s resolution still going strong? If so, how can you elevate the resolution to reach even higher? Or, if you had distractions along the way, focus on getting back on track and sticking to your goals for the new year.
Looking to enhance your mental and physical health? These tips can help you to do just that!
Activities you can do for yourself
It can be challenging to brainstorm activities to do by yourself. Here are some ideas to consider. If you need more ideas, talk to friends, family members or co-workers or go online and find something that grabs your attention.
Join a fitness center, gym or club – In the beginning of the year, fitness centers, gyms and clubs may offer deals on memberships and classes. Or, if you are interested in joining but are not 100% sold, these places will usually offer deals to try a class or multiple classes for free before you purchase a membership. Joining a fitness center, gym or club is the perfect way to work on your physical and mental health. It is important to let off steam, and it could be a fun way to exercise, meet people and try something new.
Read more books – The internet has completely changed the book scene. More and more people are picking up books thanks to suggestions from online reading communities. Social platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook highlight videos of people giving reviews on popular books. Smartphone applications like Goodreads can be found online or in your app store. These apps can help you keep track of books you’ve read and suggest books that you might like based on your past reviews. Maintain your reading hobby or pick up a new one, by reading more books this year!
Learn a new hobby – Sewing, gardening, painting, DIYing or meditating are just a handful of unique hobbies that might pique your interest. These hobbies are key opportunities to work on your well-being and spend time doing something you love or learn that you love! Make your hobby profitable by opening an Etsy shop online or selling your items to family and friends!
Watch your favorite movie alone – We all have our own go-to movie that makes us laugh hysterically, smiling uncontrollably or just cry non-stop. It’s time to turn the television on, cuddle up in a warm fuzzy blanket, grab your favorite snacks and candy, and watch your go-to movie all by yourself.
Keep learning – A new year brings new opportunities, and one of those may be furthering your education or knowledge in a specific field of interest. Many companies and organizations offer educational assistance to help employees further their education and knowledge. Stop procrastinating and start learning today!
No matter what you decide to do for yourself this year, make it something you will look forward to. Life can get hectic, and you may find yourself giving too much of your own time to others and not saving enough time for your own well-being. You need to be your own priority this year and make that change in your own life. Treat yourself this February, especially, but also all throughout the year.