Valentine’s Day is all about roses, chocolates and romance, but in the frenzy of celebrating your relationship with others, it can be easy to forget that you deserve to love yourself too.
Love is a strange thing, easily to given and received when its with someone else yet quietly pushed away when your heart seeks it out from within. So this Valentine’s Day, try taking a moment to consider what loving yourself means to you.
In the meantime, we also went ahead and asked real people from various walks of life to submit their self-love mantra or habit – maybe it could spark some self-love inspiration in you as well?
Here are eight different self-love mantras/habits. So read on, allow yourself to indulge in whatever makes you feel loved and enjoy this Valentine’s Day – YOUR way!
On not abandoning yourself and consistently showing up for yourself
Dr Riddhima Bose says : “One self-love habit I stand by whether I’m deeply in love or completely on my own; is not abandoning myself to be easier to love. My mantra is simple ; I don’t shrink to fit comfort. I don’t soften my boundaries, dilute my opinions, or silence my needs just to keep peace. Self-love, for me, is about keeping promises to myself even when no one is watching. It’s knowing that being chosen by someone else feels good-but being chosen by myself is non-negotiable.”
On making it a habit to summon your inner strength
Himangini Puri says : “There’s no quick route to loving yourself. It’s exactly like falling asleep every night, you have to pretend to do it first. I developed this habit by repeatedly sitting with myself first thing in the morning; closing my eyes and asking myself to “summon your strength”. At first it felt like the most pretentious thing to do, then it felt scary and finally, one day, I began to feel strong. It took years to get here but I would’ve never made it if I never began.”
On setting boundaries and saying no
Rashmeet says : “Know that once in a while, it’s okay to say no. It’s okay to not agree to meet your friend / partner so that they also realise how life would be when you’re not around.”
On learning to make a self-love an action
DP says : “Self-love is an action. It’s a choice that you keep making everyday, for every situation. To understand that it’s not an attainable product, but an action word, has helped ease into it for me. Dealing with body dysmorphia as well, understanding what works for my body, and how to nourish and take care of it, so I can be the best version of myself is the goal. It’s not always about how my body looks, but also the things it makes me capable of doing- like hiking, running, pilates, etc that I couldn’t ever do before I started taking care of it.”
On developing habits that energise you
Ms. Arundathy Bharadwaj : “I exercise, practice deep breathing and go for walks. It helps me calm down and re-focus. Also, having me time is non-negotiable. I developed this habit by reading motivational articles regularly.”
On taking breaks
Ashi says : “When overwhelmed, it’s okay to take a step back.”
On looking at the meaningful things in life
Liz says : “Always know that there are bigger, more beautiful and meaningful things in life that will blow your mind away. Take time for yourself and indulge in other things that are more deep and fulfilling. These things are always worth your time.I developed or learned this eye-opening realization/mantra because it hit me one late afternoon when I couldn’t decide on /find a stable romantic interest.”
On doing things that make you happy
Deepika says : “A self-love habit that I follow is spending time with myself, going on a solo date, enjoying the vibe of the place in a cafe, devouring the food and living in the moment.”
On thanking your body and soul
Seema says : “My mantra is: ‘You cannot pour from an empty cup.’ As a founder and a professional, I spent years putting everyone else’s ‘files’ before mine. My daily self-love habit is now my 15-minute nightly ritual—warm turmeric milk and silence. It’s a simple act of nourishing the body that carries the weight of my ambitions. It’s my way of saying ‘thank you’ to myself every single day.”
Which of these self-love mantras/habits resonates with you? Do you have anything different to add? Let us know on Instagram . Don’t forget to check out all our Valentine’s Day content on Lyrical Muse.
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