February is the month of love. It’s all about loving one another and showing it outwardly. Something we want to celebrate here at Vessel this month is self-love.

In addition to loving others, it’s critical to take some time to love yourself as well. Just like they tell you that in the event of an emergency, you should put on your own oxygen mask before helping those around you, we believe that loving yourself is crucial to having enough to share with others.

What does self-love mean? It can mean a variety of things ranging from emotional and psychological self-worth (also called self-compassion) to physical love (meaning taking care of our bodies) to general self-care. Basically, it’s everything from the inside out!

This is a great article from PsychologicalHealthcare.com.au that gives some insight into the benefits of self-care including:

• Less anxiety/depression,
• More optimism,
• Better recovery from stress; and
• Being more likely to stick to lifestyle changes.

In addition to the mental aspect of it, physical self-love is extremely important. If we don’t care for ourselves, our well for others will be empty.

There are so many ways to practice physical self care. Just a few ideas include:

• Moving your body every day,
• Eating whole foods that are good for you,
• Listening to what your body needs and not staying stagnant or pushing yourself too hard,
• Having a nightly routine to help you get better rest; and
• Giving yourself time to nurture your body throughout the week.

This month, we will be focusing on things we love and including tips for taking care of yourself. We would love to hear the ways you practice self love!