by Jennifer Arends, International Vice President

February, the month of love.  There are all kinds of love.  There is the love between family members, friends, spouses or significant others.  The love I want us all to focus on is love of ourselves.  To me this is the most important love that exists.  For the inability to love thyself, hinders the ability to love others.  What’s self-love?  According to clinical psychologist Deborah Khoshaba, it means “a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological and spiritual growth.  Self-love is dynamic.  It grows by actions that mature us.”

I would challenge you that during the month of love and every other month you implement some of these suggestions on how to support your physical, psychological and spiritual growth.

• Start the morning off with a healthy breakfast.
• Take at least 30 minutes each day to move your body in a way that you enjoy. This can be going for a walk, hike or run, doing yoga, cycling, dancing, swimming, or lifting weights. 
• Do something that makes you feel good each day. Wear a favorite shirt, get a manicure, or curl your hair.
• Spend time with yourself. Meditate or take a long bath or anything else alone to just be you.
• Surround yourself only with people who energize you and stay away from people who are negative.
• Laugh! Find humor in things around you or watch something that makes you laugh.
• Attend church, read poetry or listen to podcasts that help with your spiritual growth.
• Say yes to something you have always wanted to do.
• Ask for help.
• Take a day off and do nothing.
• Write down three things you are grateful for.

These are only a few suggestions of things you can do to take time for yourself and implement self-love.  The more you practice self-love, the easier you will find it to love others.