Date yourself
This Valentine’s Day, why not date yourself? By Georgina Warrick
Whether you’re coupled up or not this Valentine’s Day, why not go on a date with someone rather special? Someone you will spend the rest of your life with…yourself!
After all, there’s no getting away from yourself, so focus on getting to know yourself and nurturing yourself with some self-love. Champagne, flowers and chocolates are all lovely, but what about spending this Valentine’s Day in a way that truly nourishes you physically, mentally and spiritually?
Begin the day by focusing on self-love. Looking in the mirror, find three things that you truly love about yourself. At first, this concept might seem a bit alien to you and you may even feel a bit silly if you are not used to doing this. Go with the flow and have an open mind and heart in this practice. You might love the shade of your eyes, or the way your smile lights up a room and your grin stretches from ear to ear. You might even be able to love the lines on your face caused by smiling and feel grateful that you have already had so much joy in your life, with more laughter and adventures yet to come.
The Yamas, which are part of yogic philosophy, form one of the eight limbs of yoga (you are probably already familiar with asana, the physical postures in yoga). One of the Yamas, Ahimsa, roughly translates to non-violence towards any living being. It is important to remember that this extends to yourself. So often, we don’t practice self-love and can beat ourselves up over the smallest things, or feel we aren’t good enough. A good way to overcome this is through the use of positive affirmations, turning self-doubts or negative statements into positives. A good rule of thumb is to start with three statements.
For example, if you find yourself lacking self-belief, say to yourself aloud: “I am confident”. Always start these statements with: “I am”. It will be different for each person, as you’re each walking your own path. But focus on what you need more of in your life.
Take yourself to a healthy restaurant or prepare a special meal at home, focusing on nutritious fresh foods full of Prana (energy). Make this meal an offering to yourself. Turn off or silence your phone and enjoy this time without distractions. Really focus on your senses, eating in a mindful way, noticing the texture, appearance, taste and smell of the food. After the meal, get outside and immerse yourself in a walk in nature, listening to the sound of the birds.
Pop along to your favourite yoga class, or even try a new style of yoga and challenge yourself as it’s good sometimes to step out of your comfort zone. We are all capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.
Before bed, run a bath with some luxurious bath salts, light some candles and have a long hot soak.
Finish the day by choosing some of your favourite oils to rub on your pulse points, inhaling the scent deeply before starting a five-minute meditation practice. There are lots to choose from online if you need a guided practice.
Finally, thank yourself for being you and for taking time to treat yourself and get to know yourself this Valentine’s Day.
Like the human fingerprint, you are truly unique in appearance and personality, and doesn’t that deserve to be celebrated? Not just on Valentine’s Day but every day.
Find out more about Georgina Warrick’s classes, at: yogaeastbourne.com
Photo by Sarah Carmody Photography @sarahcarmodyphotographyuk
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
