This time of the year, there is a special emphasis on celebrating your significant other.  Whether it be through flowers, chocolate covered whatevers, or a sappy Instagram post, people are encouraged to tell those they love exactly that.

I think that people often forget to celebrate themselves, not only around Valentine’s Day, but in the every day.  Often I hear people being cruel to or hard on themselves in a way that they never would to their peers.  In a time when we are surrounded by so much uncertainty, we need to be okay with who we are as people in order to be good to and help those around us.  After all, your own presence is the only guaranteed constant you’ll have in your life.

• Treat yourself.
  • Parks and Rec made the adage famous, but it rings true.  There’s nothing wrong with splurging on a nice meal or pair of jeans you really want it’ll make you even a little bit excited.  We all deserve nice things from time to time, and who better to give it to us than ourselves?
• Take time to do that thing that makes you happy.
  • Personally, I feel more at peace when I’m writing than I do any other time, and I feel a noticeable internal difference when I haven’t written or done something creative for an extended period of time.  Do not trap the thoughts, ideas, and creations you have inside you forever.  Make them tangible and see how great you feel for creating.
• Take care of yourself.
  • As creating will nourish your insides, this step is dedicated to nourishing the outside.  Be mindful of the fact that the way you treat your body will have a directly correlation to the way you feel about yourself.
• Unplug.
  • We live in a time where we cannot really afford to not know what is going on in the world around us, so I’m not saying to cut all digital outlets off.  Completely submerging yourself in global restlessness is an isolating feeling, though.  I know that when I see something on the news that on the surface seems like I am unable to change, I feel helpless. However, I encourage you to not always be online, scrolling through story after story, and instead look for ways to help aid in the issues  you see online outside of the digital scape.

bridget