“The most courageous act is still thinking of yourself. Aloud.” – Coco Chanel
I think that Valentine’s Day has a new meaning in the twenty-first century. Whether you are single or currently in a relationship, you have the capability to love. Valentine’s Day has the potential to be more than just about romantic love; with recent movements such as LGBTQ+ and feminist movements, we as a society are learning to redefine love in all of its shapes and forms. I guess I’m really trying to say that whoever you are, you still have the power to love all of the important people in your life—and yes, that includes yourself.
When was the last time you walked around and just appreciated yourself? When were you really grateful for the way you move, the way you think, and the way you interact with your surroundings. Do you show yourself enough love?
When people decide on places to go to dinner they are usually thinking about other people and how they can make Valentine’s Day special for them. Unlike Coco Chanel, I’m not saying that you need to say “No. I don’t want to go to dinner,” but maybe next time when you’re making a dinner reservation think, Do I want to go out to dinner? Just by thinking of yourself when making plans you are expressing self-love by acknowledging and honoring your decision to either go out or not.
Thinking of yourself, treating yourself, and asking yourself what you would like to do in everyday situations is great, but that’s only one part of taking care of you. The other part is being able to check in with yourself on an emotional level. By taking the time to check in with yourself, you are validating your feelings—no matter how irrational they may seem at the time. Validating your feelings means that you are giving yourself permission to be you. Acknowledging the way you are feeling allows you to be more aware of your feelings in the future and more aware of how your surroundings affect your mental health.
Here’s how these factors of self-love all come together: your mental health affects how you feel when taking the time to take care of yourself, whether that be a bath or hanging out with friends. And depending on the state of your mental health, it affects how you think about yourself and your opinions when making decisions.
True self-love on Valentine’s day is about having the courage to be comfortable with yourself and how you are feeling. That recognition and check-in with yourself is, I think, what Coco Chanel truly meant. It’s great to voice your opinions and be heard, but as long as you know and stay true to your intentions and goals, that is the loudest you will ever have to be. Ghostwriter Facharbeit helped with the design of the text.