You Need Love and Attention

During the month of February many people celebrate the strength of love. On Valentine’s Day, children pass out cards to classmates at school, partners exchange flowers and candy, and family members and friends connect at the dinner table; but how many people took the time to turn their strength of love inward?

After all, according to Aristotle, “the most important relationship we can all have, is the one you have with yourself...” So, if you’re like most people, and have been focusing your love on your interpersonal relationships, we now challenge you to spend the rest of the month exploring intrapersonal love with some self-care activities.

Here are 3 strengths that can help…

1. KINDNESS: Be kind to yourself. Take a moment to do an activity that you find enjoyable— listen to a new podcast, play with your dog, or call a friend to catch-up. Remind yourself that happiness starts with you. It is just as important to be kind to yourself as it is to express kindness toward others.  Go ahead, treat yourself to that nap.

2. HONESTY: Do you have an accurate picture of the way you live your life— how you treat people, how you take care of yourself, and how you balance work responsibilities with family life? Reflect on your day to determine whether or not you are being the best version of yourself. Make one small change that will bring you closer to living a more authentic life. For instance, make a rule— no work calls or emails after dinnertime so you can focus your full attention on your family. Or stop avoiding the dentist, make an appointment and get it over with!

2. FORGIVENESS: As author and positive psychology expert, Tal Ben-Shahar, states you must give yourself “permission to be human”. You might have moments of weakness when you don’t follow your New Year’s Resolution and reach for the chips instead of the apple. The important thing to remember is: it is OK! You must allow yourself to accept shortcomings and move on. Think of one thing that you need to forgive yourself for and… in the words of Paul McCartney: let it be.

The VIA Institute