The Importance of Loving Yourself this Valentine's Day and Everyday

 

Valentine’s Day is about more than romance. It is a time to appreciate you! Self-love should be a central point of your everyday routine.

Self-care can take a toll if you’re dealing with your own conditions, such as diabetes, respiratory, ostomy, advanced wounds, cancer, urological, and many other diagnoses. It’s also a major challenge for those who are family caregivers, caring for a loved one. Even new moms know well that self-care becomes non-existent with a newborn.

However, on a day that is meant for appreciating all of the people you love in your life, add yourself to the top of that list. Here are some of our favorite ways to show you some love this Valentine’s Day:

Get Your Mirror Work In
You are spectacular in every way possible, but you need to realize this! Look in the mirror, meet your reflection and send yourself love. State a positive affirmation while looking into the mirror. State this several times while making eye contact in the mirror. An affirmation is a positive reminder or statement that can be used to encourage and motivate you or others. Some affirmation samples are:

• I am doing my best and I am proud of myself
• I will focus on things that I can control 
• I Am Diagnosed, Not Defeated
• The simple act of caring is heroic 
• All of my cells are well
• I have the mind, heart, and soul of a warrior.
• I am thankful to still have my loved ones in my life.

It may seem weird at first, but it will surely boost your self-esteem, and make you laugh if nothing else. Take 5 minutes a day to give this a try. It usually takes 21 days to fully form a new habit so give it a try. You will feel better about yourself over time and more empowered.

Forgive Yourself for your Mistakes

We will never stop making mistakes. It’s a part of human nature and no one is perfect. Focus on moving forward and learning from your mistakes. Try not to hold onto the past or dwell on the things that have happened that you cannot change. If you ate something that elevated your time in range, stop beating yourself up about it and move forward. If you were unable to help your loved one with something, don’t feel guilty because someone else had to handle this. You are only one individual and you can’t do everything for everyone.  Stop feeling guilty and forgive yourself. The quicker you move forward, the more successful you will be!

Don’t be Envious of Others
You may be jealous of others who don’t have to deal with the medical conditions you may be facing or the loved one that you are taking care of. We understand when you are in these situations stress and depression may arise. You need to change your outlook and not look at others. There is no reason for it because you can’t control things that are not in your power to change. You will need to take this and make the best of what works best for you and your situation. To be jealous of others is just another roadblock to your healing. Be grateful for what you do have and work hard to continue to make your life even better. Appreciate the love surrounding you, the experiences you’ve had thus far, and everything you have to offer to the world.

Embrace the things that make you Different
We all have our quirks that make us who we are. Embrace these parts of you as opposed to trying to conform to your idea of the “norm.” Not only will embracing your character traits boost your confidence, but others will most likely follow your example and start coming out of their shells. Everyone is beautiful in their own way! Become the warrior you were set out to become and own it– Diabetic Warrior, Ostomy Warrior, Caregiver Warrior, New Parent Warrior, Cancer Warrior are just a few.

Throughout this Valentine’s Day, remember the things you love to do. Think of how you feel when you are optimally taking care of yourself.  GO DO THAT! This is what we call passion, and working toward achieving this as much as you can.