20 Valentine Activities That’ll Make You Fall Back in Love with Yourself
You’ve probably heard about making a summer bucket list before, but what about a self-love bucket list? It follows the same guidelines, with one exception: you have to include things on it that you can do for yourself to boost your confidence and mood, and promote self-care.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, there’s no better time than now to do so. Why? Well, February is a month devoted to love. So, change things up this year and focus on yourself instead of someone else. Once you do, you’ll start to romanticize your life in a way you never have before!
To help you get started, we created a list of 20 Valentine activities that will make you fall in love with yourself. You can follow ours and check things off as you do them, or you can make your own. Start doing them on the 14th and keep it up throughout the year.
Write Yourself Love Notes
Love notes don’t have to be from someone you’re in a relationship with. In fact, you can write yourself ones you can read on days when you’re feeling low. That way, reading them can remind you how amazing you are when you need to hear it the most.
Book a Solo Hotel Stay
A little staycation where you can focus on yourself is a great way to practice self-care. It’ll give you time to relax, escape the stress of your normal routine, and enjoy some peace and quiet.
Buy Yourself Flowers
There’s something about getting a fresh bouquet of flowers that makes you feel loved. So why not sign up for a Farm-Fresh Flower subscription so you’ll receive stunning buds each month at your doorstep? Each time they arrive, they’ll bring a big smile to your face. It’s a simple act of kindness you can do for yourself that will have a big impact on your mood.
Create a Self-Love Playlist
Sometimes all you need to lift your mood is to hear some music. Find songs with positive lyrics and upbeat tempos, then create a playlist on Spotify. Before you know it, you’ll be dancing around your house, feeling empowered and like you can conquer anything.
Go Shopping
Retail therapy is real, so if you’re looking for a way to feel better about yourself, consider going shopping! Seeing yourself in a couple new looks will instantly boost your confidence and make you feel fabulous. It’ll remind you that you’re beautiful and to love your body because it’s perfect as is.
Treat Yourself to a Nice Restaurant
It’s important to date yourself. So, don’t forget to take yourself out every now and then! Dress up and go to a fancy restaurant where you can treat yourself to an amazing meal. It’s an act of self-love that everyone should do from time-to-time.
Go Outdoors
Spending time in nature can be very calming. It’s been proven to have tons of benefits, like lowering your stress and boosting your mood. Even if you’re not a big outdoorsy person, give it a try and see how you feel afterwards. You can go for a hike, a walk in the park, a sunset stroll, or a bike ride.
Read a Motivational Book
Cozying up with a motivational book about personal development is just one way you can begin to fall in love with yourself again. It’ll introduce you to techniques that’ll help you practice self-care.
Watch the Sun Rise
Sure, you’ve probably watched a sunset before, but what about a sunrise? There’s something so special about getting up early and starting your day off by watching the come up over the horizon. It’s a must-do activity that will help you start your day on a bright note this Valentine’s Day.
Complement Yourself
How you view yourself matters. That’s why positive self-talk is so crucial. When you practice telling yourself things like, “I’m beautiful!” “I’m worthy!” and “I’m strong!” it trains your brain to believe it and changes your neural pathways so that you’ll find yourself thinking less negatively about yourself over time. Trust us, if you start doing this now, you’ll fall back in love with yourself in no time.
Romanticize Your Life
Find ways to romanticize parts of your life. You can do so by starting off small and picking a moment during your day that you can make extra special for yourself. For instance, if you always have breakfast, instead of having cereal each morning, cook a real breakfast for yourself this Valentine’s Day. Give yourself time to make French toast with strawberries and a fancy coffee and then continue the tradition every morning, or once a week.
Give Yourself a Manicure
Sometimes doing something as small as your nails can make you feel good about yourself. From painting them with your favorite shade, to applying faux nails at home, to getting a manicure at a place nearby, there are endless options. The best part is, reds, pinks, and heart shapes are things you can sport way longer than just Valentine’s Day.
Teach Yourself Something New
Fall back in love with yourself by challenging yourself to learn something new this February. It may be hard at first, but once you master it, you’ll have a newfound confidence that you didn’t have before.
Take Yourself to a Movie
Light, camera, action! This simple activity is a great way to escape into another world for a couple of hours. It’ll give your mind time to relax and be a fun way for you to enjoy something away from your home. Plus, it’s dark inside the theater, so if you’re feeling anxious about doing something alone, this is a good option to start with.
Conquer a Fear
Go outside of your typical routine and try an activity that would normally scare you this Valentine’s Day. Once you accomplish it, you’ll be so proud of yourself for stepping outside of your comfort zone. It’ll prove that you can do anything you set your mind to.
Get a New ‘Do
New hair, who’s this?! Changing up your hair color, your hair length, or your hair texture is the perfect way to give yourself some self-love and make yourself feel like the Queen you truly are. It’s the ultimate Valentine’s Day activity for any woman who wants to be pampered and needs a little confidence boost.
Show Your Body Some Love
No matter if you start going on walks, jogging around your neighborhood, or you sign up for a fitness class like barre or yoga, working on bettering yourself physically shows that you love yourself. Start off small and keep building.
Celebrate Your Wins with Friends
When something good happens in your life, don’t just brush it off. Take the time to reward yourself when you reach a goal you’ve been working toward. Celebrate by going out with some friends this Valentine’s Day and say “cheers” to yourself for your accomplishments.
Have a Spa Day
Self-love involves self-care activities, like having a spa day. You can do so by setting up an appointment for yourself, or you can go to a store and buy some candles, bubble bath and other products so you can create a spa day for yourself at home.
Buy Yourself Chocolates
Life’s all about balance, which includes what you eat. That’s why it’s ok to indulge in some of your favorite candy and buy yourself some chocolate. Having a sweet treat will give yourself a chance to slow down and enjoy something that gives you joy.
Morgan McMurrin is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle editor based in California where she lives with her husband and dog, Boo. She has over 13 years of experience writing for national publications like ELLE, Timeout New York, Parade, J-14, and JustJared.com. She loves creating editorial eye candy that can inspire people to try new trends and feel beautiful.