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Self-love on Valentine’s Day is often overlooked. We focus on romantic partners, past relationships, or what love has looked like for us — but the most important relationship we have is the one we maintain with ourselves.

For many, Valentine’s Day is a joyful celebration of romance and commitment. For others, it can feel like a painful reminder of lost love or love never experienced. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, self-love matters not just today, but every day.

I teach a class called The Real Love Potion Number Nine, a love-attraction program that is nearly ready for print as a guide to finding true love. (It’s also the very process that helped me attract my amazing husband.) One of the first and most important lessons we cover is self-love, followed closely by unconditional love.

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Why Self-Love Is So Difficult

For many clients, self-love feels uncomfortable or even impossible. We were taught that modesty means deflecting compliments rather than accepting them. How often have you praised a child, only to hear a parent respond with, “You don’t really know them”?

In moments like that, a chance to teach self-love disappears. We need to relearn something very simple — how to say thank you.

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Unconditional Self-Love Means Loving All of You

Many people equate their worth with their perceived “bad habits” or flaws. True, unconditional self-love means loving all of yourself — not just the polished parts.

Before lasting change in behavior can occur, a new understanding must be created:
You deserve love exactly as you are.

That starts with practicing loving moments with yourself.

Pay attention to how you speak to yourself compared to how you speak to friends. Most internal self-talk is far harsher than anything we would say out loud to someone we love. Yet we expect ourselves to thrive under that criticism.

You have the power to hurt yourself or heal yourself with your words. Which do you choose?

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Stress Is Not Loving — Relief Is

Unchecked stress is deeply unloving. Allowing stress to dominate your life sends the message that your well-being doesn’t matter — and that simply isn’t true.

Doing something, anything, to reduce stress says:
“I love myself.”

Pause. Take a few deep breaths. Look at the sunshine. Watch the rain fall. Visualize a place that brings you peace. Choose a regular practice that reduces stress and supports self-love.

Less stress creates more space for happiness — and self-love grows naturally in that space.

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Give Yourself Permission to Love Yourself

Self-love is a practice. Like any learned behavior, it becomes natural through repetition.

Write it down. Affirm it daily. Ask yourself why you are lovable.
Give yourself permission — today and every day — to be happy.

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Self-Love Declarations

1. I lovingly accept myself as I am right now.
2. I give thanks for all of my blessings.
3. I accept compliments and give them freely.
4. I trust myself and take responsibility for my life.
5. I release self-criticism and judgment.
6. I forgive myself and others when mistakes occur.
7. I am kind to others without sacrificing my own needs.

I give myself permission to be happy.