7 Ways to Show Yourself Love this Valentine’s Day

Whether you’re single, “it’s complicated” or you’re in a relationship, there’s one person who needs your love most: Y-O-U. Taking care of and showing love to yourself is one of the most important thing you can do this Valentine’s Day (and every other day of the year). We tend to focus our energy on external relationships, which can push our needs and wants to the wayside—but caring for your own mind, body and soul is necessary to achieve those #relationshipgoals you have with others. 

It won’t take a dozen roses for you to feel the love this month; simply put a few of these mind, body and soul tips into play, and you may just find that being your own valentine is a tradition you’ll gladly keep.

1. Practice PMA

A positive mental attitude, also known as PMA, is the philosophy that having an optimistic disposition in every situation will attract positive changes in one’s own life. The PMA state of mind challenges you to continually seek a desirable outcome, regardless of the circumstances. There are external forces that impact our lives every day, many of which we can’t control. However, we do have the choice to find the silver lining in situations. When you’re stuck in traffic because of an accident, be grateful that you’re safe and not the one involved. When your internet crashes and you can’t get your work done, take it as a sign that you need a “me” break and let yourself relax. It’s easy shifts in your thinking that will replace that snarl with a smile.

2. Realize the Imperfections are perfect

Here at Perfect Bar, the word perfect is literally in everything that we do, but we know that it’s the imperfect moments in life that have made our nutty journey, well, so dang enjoyable. Constantly striving for what society or you deem is perfection can be exhausting. When you redefine your goals and realize that making mistakes along the way is the greatest path to growth, you learn to love the process. So what if your #pinterestfail has your family laughing at the dinner table—it’ll be a story for the grandkids. When you embrace moments for what they are, rather than what they should be, life becomes a little bit more enjoyable. 

3. Embrace uncertainty

One thing is for certain: the future is full of unknown. Embracing uncertainty is challenging and can be downright scary. But, it may be the single most effective tool we have to getting through this crazy life. Focusing solely on the unknowns of the future can leave you full of stress and anxiety. Embracing the present and allowing yourself to enjoy the moment will keep the fears of uncertainty at bay. If you’re unsure of where your career is headed, you may let it consume your daily thoughts and actions, and end up manifesting your worries. When you focus on what you can do each day to get where you want to go, the stars have a better chance of aligning. Remember that thoughts become things—choose the good ones.

4. Be proud of what you put in

Put good in, get good out. Take it from us: clean eating can have a huge impact on our overall health and happiness. In order to look and feel your best, it’s important to be cognizant of not only what we eat, but how much we know about what we’re eating (like ingredients you recognize). Eating clean is a good way to refresh your eating habits: it’s about eating more of the best and healthiest options in each of the food groups—and eating less of the not-so-healthy ones. That means embracing whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, plus healthy proteins and fats. Here’s a great guide to clean eating with tips we’re on board with. 

5. Amp up the endorphins

Most of us know what tends to happen to our bodies when we exercise: muscle builds, stamina increases. When it comes to our brain and mood though, the benefits are less murmured, but oh-so valuable. When you work out, your brain recognizes it as a stressful situation and thinks you need to put up a fight or take the next flight out of town to escape it (enter fight-or-flight response). To protect itself, your brain releases a protein that has a protective and also reparative element to your memory neurons and acts as a reset switch. That’s why we often feel so at ease and things are clear after exercising and eventually happy. Don’t just take our word for it—if you want to get healthy and happy, then get moving. Having a hard time deciding which workout to try? Here are a few tips to help you find the best workout for YOU.

6. Create a balance

All work and no play—or all play and no work—can create an inner anxiety that will hinder your ability to find peace within yourself. Creating a balance is necessary, but often can seem hard to do with obligations like work, school, parenting… (and the list goes on, right?). “Give a little, to get a little” is a great mantra to keep in mind when trying to find a balance. Instead of cleaning out the garage in one whole weekend, split it up into sections over a month and tackle the project little by little, then leave some time during each weekend to do something you enjoy. You’ll be less likely to get burned out or overwhelmed. Think about integrating activities into your busy days to refuel your soul and ultimately make you head-over-heels for yourself again.

7. Know how to say “no”

“N” and “O”. When put together, these two letters can be the only thing you need to feel more empowered and less stressed in your day-to-day life. It’s human nature to want to help out someone who needs you or take on a project at the 11th hour because it has to get done. But, taking time for yourself and knowing what’s best for you isn’t selfish—it’s needed to rejuvenate the soul. Burnout happens easily—in the workplace and outside of it. Making time to recharge and reconnect with yourself is essential for creating a fulfilled life. Set boundaries, cancel your plans and enjoy your own company every once in awhile—you might even begin to enjoy it!

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In the words of Buddha, “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”. Try turning your focus inward this Valentine’s Day and show yourself some love and appreciation. At the end of the day, that’s who you’re stuck with!