January was the start of the New Year and those “New Year New You” campaigns encouraging us to set goals and resolutions for the year ahead. It’s sad to say that most of us fail or let them slide by the time February arrives. But why is that? Is it because we set resolutions for the wrong reasons – because we feel we should be working to achieve something, because everyone else is doing it, because we need to change? When we come at it from the wrong angle, we’ll never succeed.
Now it’s February and the attention is on Valentine’s Day and often the media portrayal is about sharing with that “special someone”. But what if you don’t feel like you have that special someone in your life? You might feel lonely, left out, undeserving and unloved.
It’s easy to start the year feeling optimistic and hopeful, to want to move forward but these reminders of what might be missing in your life, or these feelings of failure, can make it all that more difficult.
So, what’s love got to do with it?
“ Treat yourself the way you want to be treated by others…love yourself and you will be loved ”
Rhonda Byrne
I believe that when we start to feel love from within, life is much more manageable. Which is why my New Year’s intention each year is to practice self-love. To be kinder to myself, prioritise my health and wellbeing, find what makes me happy, accept myself and do more of it. Sound selfish? I think that’s what we’re made to believe but I realise that when I’m happier, my outlook is more positive and others around me are happier too. In order for me to be a good friend, sister, and auntie, how I treat myself is important. Self-love is the foundation.
If self-love is your intention, you have an opportunity to take a step towards it every day. Maybe your first step is to say one positive thing to yourself each day. In the beginning it doesn’t matter if you believe it or not, you make your intentions and your intentions will make you.
There’s nothing to lose but so much to gain.
With much love and laughter,
Rebecca