06 Feb “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Practising Self-Love is Very Good for You!”

How to Look After Your Most Important Relationship this Valentines Day

by Charlotte McCrossin

Its February and that means its Valentines Day! Yippee!

Or not…

I have to admit, I really don’t like Valentines Day very much. Why does there have to be a day where we are supposed to tell someone special how much we love them? If we are lucky enough to have that special someone, shouldn’t we be doing that all year round?

Anyway, putting my feelings about Valentines Day to one side, in recent years I have realised that the most important relationship to nourish is the relationship you have with yourself! And this year, I’m all about SELF-love. That obviously doesn’t mean we neglect our love for others but if you haven’t been looking after yourself, then you aren’t going to be able to give your best to those around you. And… if you don’t love yourself then it makes it pretty hard for others to love you and quite frankly they should because you’re AMAZING!

In today’s busy society where we get instantly bombarded by many forms of media all at once, it is very easy to fall into the trap of meeting other people’s needs ALL of the time and fall victim to dealing with OTHER people’s priorities rather than our own. I know this all too well as I have two very young children and if I am not mindful of taking care of my own needs, I finish the week exhausted having put everyone else’s needs above my own. Sound familiar?

So, what do I mean about self-love and how do we do it?

Self-love is a habit that we need to cultivate over time and whilst I’m not yet perfect at it, I am definitely getting better so here are my top tips on how you can love YOU this Valentines Day:

• Keep a Gratitude Journal

This may seem a bit “out there” for some – it did for me at first, but it has really helped me stay in a positive mindset. Each night before going to bed I reflect back on the day and write down just 3 things that I have been grateful for that day. It only takes a couple of minutes and is a really positive way to round off the day so you can go to sleep in gratitude which helps to promote a more restful, deeper sleep.

• Go on a date with Yourself

Yes – go on a date with YOU. And I don’t mean just get on the train and go to work by yourself, I mean go and do something that will bring you JOY and do it on your own terms. For me, retail therapy is a big one or going to a dance class and moving my body to music. You could go to an art gallery or a museum too – whatever will bring you joy. Make a habit of doing this at least once a month.

• Be Strict about your Needs

After having two children two years apart, I realised I needed to get very clear about my needs otherwise I would go mad. In order to do this, I wrote down all the things that I can’t live without and how often I need them in order to show up as a normal, functioning human being and then added the “nice to have” things that would make me show up as my best self.

It looks something like this:

Need: 7 hours sleep

Frequency: Daily

Need: Cardiovascular exercise

Frequency: 3-4 times weekly

Need: Regular Chiropractic Adjustment

Frequency: Fornightly

You get the idea…

Then, when life seems to be getting out of control, I can refer back to my list of needs and see which of them has not been getting met. It is surprising how often it slips but having it written down and clearly visible to everyone that you share a house with really helps hold you to account to make sure those needs are getting met.

• Get Outside and Move in Nature

Moving is a great way of taking care of yourself and ensuring that you have more energy. We are designed to be active and if you sit at a desk all day, then it is even more important for your self-love that you set aside time to get some exercise to nourish your body. Exercising outdoors in nature also helps to boost Vitamin D levels which is good for your mood and your brain and taking a moment to appreciate the wonder of nature is also great for positivity overall.

• Get Adjusted!

I know… obviously I am going to say this as someone who runs a Chiropractic practice and is married to a Chiropractor but please hear me out on this one….

Chiropractors focus on the nervous system, which is found within the spinal column. Most people think Chiropractic is all about backs and bones but, it is also about keeping your nervous system healthy. If our nervous system controls every function of the body, then your body isn’t going to work at its best if it is not regularly checked.

What better way to practice self-love than to love your spine by making sure it is regularly checked so you can do all the things you want to do and be the very best version of YOU!

You Deserve it!

Happy Valentines Day