Valentine’s Day Self-Love Guide: 7 Ways to Nurture Your Well-Being 

Feb 13, 2025

While Valentine’s Day often centers around romance, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate the meaningful relationships in your life, whether that’s with friends, family, or your community.  

Self-love is an important part of this. It means recognizing your worth, setting boundaries, and treating yourself with kindness.  

But it also means appreciating the people who support you, checking in on loved ones and strengthening the connections that matter. Love isn’t just about one day or one type of relationship, it’s about how we show up for ourselves and each other all year long.   

However, you’re spending today, know that your relationships, romantic or not, are meaningful and worth celebrating!  

What is Self-Love?  

Self-love is the practice of valuing and caring for yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It means recognizing your worth, prioritizing your needs, and setting healthy boundaries without sacrificing your well-being for others.  

Jeff Turner for CMHA Calgary’s School of Peer Support and host of the As I, A Peer podcast says “think of self-love as the foundation of a house. A strong foundation supports everything built upon it, just as self-love strengthens your ability to navigate life’s challenges and build a meaningful relationship.”  

Self-love isn’t a destination, But a lifelong practice of growth, acceptance, and self-compassion. By embracing it, you set the tone for how you treat yourself, and how others treat you.  

Why is Self-Love Important?  

When we treat ourselves with kindness and compassion, we build resilience, improve our overall health, and strengthen our ability to navigate life’s challenges.   

Research shows that self-compassion leads to:  
 
Stronger Mental Health: Practicing Self-compassion helps reduce anxiety and depression by encouraging a more supportive and understanding inner dialogue.   

Better Physical Health: Self-love has been linked to improved immune function, balanced glucose levels, and a greater ability to relax and recover from stress.  

Greater Resilience: When we approach ourselves with kindness, we build inner strength, making it easier to face difficulties and setbacks.  

By embracing self-love, you’re not only fostering a healthier relationship with yourself but also setting a standard for how others treat you. It’s a lifelong practice of growth, acceptance, and self-compassion, one that benefits both your well-being and your connections with others.  
 

Here are 7 ways you can practice self-love this Valentine’s Day:  

1. Write Yourself a “Love” Letter  

No fluff — just take a few minutes to write about what you’re proud of, how far you’ve come, and what you want for yourself. It doesn’t have to be poetic. Just honest.  

Studies show that self-reflection improves emotional well-being and self-awareness. Writing your thoughts down helps solidify your emotions, making self-compassion feel more real.  

Find a quiet space, grab a pen (or open a notes app), and write as if you were talking to a best friend. If you don’t know where to start, try:  

“One thing I appreciate about myself is…”  

“Something I’ve overcome that I don’t give myself enough credit for is…”  

“The person I’m becoming is…”  

Seal it and save it for a day when you need the reminder.  

2. Date Yourself  
Go to a coffee shop, a museum, a hiking trail, or even just a different part of your city.   

Experiencing new environments can shake up your routine and boost your mood. It doesn’t have to be a huge trip—just something different from your norm.   

Pick a spot you’ve never been to, even if it’s a new walking route. Pay attention to what’s around you. What’s different? What do you notice? Treat it like an adventure, even if it’s just grabbing coffee at a café across town.  

3. Build a Playlist That Sets the Tone  

Music isn’t just background noise; it shapes our mood. It has the power to shape our mood. It’s a simple, low-effort way to shift your mindset.   

Create a playlist that matches your current vibe — whether it’s for boosting confidence, finding relaxation or diving into nostalgia. If curating feels like too much, let someone else do the work with a pre-made playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.  

The key is to actually listen — no distractions, no scrolling, just be present with the music for a moment.   

The right playlist can make an average day feel intentional.  

4. Clean Up Your Digital Space  

Did you know that we spend an average of 6 hours and 58 minutes a day on digital devices. Think of this as a mental reset. What you consume affects your mindset —curate it intentionally.  

Make space for your peace by unfollowing or muting accounts that drain your energy or trigger insecurity. Clean up your phone by deleting old photos, clearing out unnecessary emails, and organizing your apps. Set app limits if you find yourself lost in endless scrolling. A feed full of negativity or irrelevant content only adds to mental clutter, curate it to support your well-being.  

5. Move Your Body  

Embrace movement as a way to honour yourself, without any pressure for results or comparison. Just 10 minutes of movement can boost your mood and energize your mind, helping you feel more vibrant and connected.  

Put on your favourite song and dance in your kitchen or car. Go for a 10-minute walk—outside if possible or try a basic stretching routine from YouTube. The goal isn’t a workout. The goal is to remind yourself that your body is worth caring for.  

6. Get Yourself Something You Actually Want  

Not just a generic “treat yourself.” Buy something that genuinely brings you joy — a book, a new tool for your hobby, a meal from your favourite spot.   

It’s about intention, not impulse. Set a budget and pick something that makes your everyday life a little better! This isn’t about materialism—it’s about acknowledging your own wants and needs.  

7. Feel What You Need to Feel — Without Judgment  

No need to force yourself to be “okay.” If today is tough, let it be.    

Research shows that bottling up emotions can increase stress and even weaken the immune system.  

If you need to cry, cry. If you need to vent, vent. Journal it out, voice-note yourself, or talk to a trusted friend. Remind yourself that feeling emotions doesn’t make you weak—it makes you human. Self-love means making space for all parts of you—the messy, the healing, the work-in-progress.  

Sometimes, it helps to talk to someone who truly understands. CMHA Peer Support is there for you, offering compassionate, non-judgmental guidance from individuals who have walked similar paths. They’re here to listen, share experiences, and provide the support you need to navigate through life’s challenges.  

Practice Self-Love today  

Valentine’s Day may come and go, but your relationship with yourself is a lifelong journey.   

Self-love isn’t a trend, nor something to be practiced only when you’re single.  

It’s the foundation for how you show up in every aspect of your life – whether that’s setting healthy boundaries, prioritizing your well—being, or simply allowing yourself to feel without judgement.  

The way you treat yourself sets the tone for everything else.  

So, this Valentine’s Day (or any day) don’t wait for permission to love yourself. You deserve your own kindness, care, and appreciation.  

If you’re looking to strengthen your relationship with yourself, consider exploring CMHA Calgary’s Recovery College Courses. These courses are designed to help you build self-love, resilience, and the skills you need to thrive.  And if you know someone who could benefit from a little extra self-love inspiration, share this with them—they deserve it too.