(Self)-love is in the air

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Sometimes treating yourself to some sweet messages is the ultimate form of self love.

Valentine’s Day is here and you’re probably thinking about that fancy dinner with bae or those flowers you ordered for Mom. But don’t forget to show love to the most important person in your life: you.

Now is that time in the semester when things start getting busier and busier, so it’s really important to think about self-care and self-love.

Here are seven easy tips and ideas about how to incorporate both into your daily life:

1. Use a dry-erase marker and write a positive message on the mirror to yourself- and maybe even surprise your roommates with a nice message too.

2. Set one personal goal for the week and write it down somewhere clearly visible to you. It can be anything: trying out a GroupX class, preparing a meal you found on Pinterest, or finishing a book. Do what you can to accomplish it, and at the end of the week, you’ll have something to be proud about.

3. Choose one meal or snack every day to eat mindfully. This means eating without a sense of urgency, focusing on the taste/smell/texture of the food, and being grateful for what you’re eating. You can also eat with your non-dominant hand and/or with your eyes closed to increase mindfulness.

4. No matter how busy your schedule is, take at least 4 or 5 minutes before you go to sleep at night to do something relaxing, such as drinking a cup of chamomile tea, coloring in a coloring book, playing a song on the guitar, or writing something positive about your day in a journal.

5. Sleep. Just do it! If you feel you’re not getting enough sleep, try giving up something for lent, such as Netflix or Snapchat. Even though it may seem like they don’t take up much of your time, this might be a smart solution- it doesn’t hurt to try it out.

6. Sign up for daily inspirational quotes either by email or app notifications! There are many options out there- all it takes is a quick search on Google or your phone’s app store.

7. Lastly, surround yourself with positive, happy, supporting, and caring people of all ages and backgrounds. This is truly one of the best things you can do for yourself, I promise you.

I hope these tips were helpful, and that you all have a happy Valentine’s Day.