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Show Yourself Some Love
“Oh, my gosh, are you serious?”
“You’ve got to be kidding. That sucks!”
“Man…I feel so bad for you.”
No, I’m not having a painful operation. I’m not drowning in piles of homework. I’m not being grounded by my parents. No, it’s something much, much worse: I’m single on Valentine’s Day, otherwise known as Singles Awareness Day (SAD). For some of my friends, this is the worst possible punishment on February 14th.
As this special day approaches, radios start playing love songs and couples begin making romantic plans. Everywhere you go, you see red hearts, rose bouquets and shiny boxes of chocolate. It seems like everyone is thinking about romance. But the truth is there is so much more to Valentine’s Day than just romantic love. February 14th can also be a day to celebrate self-love!
The only way you’ll be confident sharing what you value and believe with someone else is by feeling good about yourself, inside and out.
Know Yourself
Whether you’re single or in a relationship, it’s important to know what you value and believe about relationships and your sexual health. If education is very important to you, then you probably won’t want a partner who isn’t worried about school and wants to hang out everyday after school. And you might choose to wait to have sex or to practice safer sex to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or an unplanned pregnancy, which could get in the way of goals, like going to college. If you value communication and trust in your relationships, then you’ll want a partner you feel comfortable talking to, especially about important decisions, like whether or not you’re ready for sex. But you won’t know how you feel about any of these issues unless you spend some time figuring out what feels right for you.
This Valentine’s Day, show yourself some love by taking time to learn and clarify what’s healthiest for you. With parents, friends and teachers all stressing different values, it’s important to know where you stand, so you are prepared to handle real-life situations. If you know what you do or don’t want in a relationship, you can communicate that clearly with your partner when the time comes.
Feeling Good about Yourself
The only way you’ll be confident sharing what you value and believe with someone else is by feeling good about yourself, inside and out. Here are some ways to show yourself some love:
- Write a love letter to the funniest, smartest, and cutest person you know: you! Go all out by celebrating your best traits and greatest accomplishments with a heartfelt poem, mushy letter, or love song—Taylor Swift style. Read this letter for a quick boost of self-confidence and reassurance whenever you feel down.
- Get yourself the Valentine’s Day present you’ve always wanted. Whether it’s clothes, daffodils or even gummy worms, treat yourself to a special gift to show some self-love.
- Do something you enjoy. With school, sports and work, it’s often hard to find time for yourself. Valentine’s Day can be a great opportunity to try a new hobby or pursue a special interest.
- Strengthen your relationships with family and friends, by taking this opportunity to show your love through cards and gifts telling each person how much they mean to you. Better yet, organize a special gathering where you can surround yourself with people who love and support you. Strengthening these bonds will remind you of what you deserve in a healthy romantic relationship: love and respect.
- Volunteer. Share your love with other people by bringing the spirit of Valentine’s Day to hospital patients, people staying in homeless shelters or nursing home residents. The smiles and gratitude you receive in return for your visit will be an instant boost to your self-confidence.
If you feel confident, you can communicate what you want in a relationship as well as what you are or aren’t ready for when it comes to sexual behavior. Ultimately, having clear convictions will help you make smarter and healthier decisions. So, why not start now? This Valentine’s Day, take some time to show yourself some love!
