Happy Thursday! I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day last week. I love that we spend an entire day/week focusing on our love for others – our valentines, whether spouse, family, children, teachers, or fur babies. It is so sweet, and we often don’t take the time to express our love for those closest to us in our day-to-day lives. Valentine’s Day may have been last week, but I’m not done talking about love just yet. And instead of talking about your love for others…this week, I am going to spend some time focusing on your love for yourself.
Self-love has actually become pretty trendy in our society – especially among women. And it typically comes in the form of some sort of treat for yourself. Shopping, spa days, dietary indulgences, Netflix binges – you get the drift. But are engaging in activities like this truly showing yourself some love? I believe that in some instances, yes! Sometimes, what you really truly need is a day with girlfriends on a shopping trip, or if you’re a guy, you may need a guy’s night over a cold beer and your favorite team’s game. But day-in, day-out…these treats and indulgences can become passé and boring. Over time, you may find that they do not continue to bring the joy that they once brought. So you search for new, different, bigger indulgences to help you feel like you are treated. That sounds like a downward spiral, yes?
What if we tipped self-love on its head. Instead of viewing it consistently as a treat or indulgence, or gentleness toward yourself…what if we viewed self-love as doing something that is really difficult because it will help you to become more of the person who you were created to be? What if it looks like taking the time and inconvenience to meal plan, shop, and prepare healthy meals for you and your family because it is good for you? What if self-love means having an uncomfortable discussion with someone in order for your relationship with them to move in the direction that it needs to move? I think that if we started viewing self-love a little bit more in this light, that we would probably feel scared, anxious, and uncomfortable…but if we could push ourselves to step into that fear or discomfort, we would emerge from the other side of that activity a better version of ourselves, who is stronger, wiser, more courageous, and healthier. And that, my friends, is something that I believe is worth celebrating.
Do you agree? What is an area in your life where you need to give yourself some love – a gentle nudge, a firm kick, or a heart-to-heart conversation to become the person you were created to be?
That’s all for now! I Hope you have a wonderful week, and that you are able to step into your fear and come out the other side of it victorious.
-Katie
