10 Ways To Treat Yourself To Some Self-Love This Valentine's Day

There are two types of people in the world: those who crave to love and be loved, and those who are contented to be unattached if that's how things turn out to be. While being in love is highly-raved about and partners are often described to be the people who can help 'complete your life', you don't really need someone to complete you, and while it's not easy, it's not impossible to feel complete on your own.

This article is a reminder to the singles out there that it's okay to not have a Valentine, in fact, you can dedicate this special day that celebrates love to practicing some self-love. Stop being guilty about allowing yourself to do things that make you happy (including indulging in your guilty pleasures!) - you deserve a day all for yourself and yourself only. Choose to love yourself this Valentine's Day with 10 ideas on how to celebrate Valentine's Day alone without feeling lonely.

Fancy a candlelit dinner and a movie for one? Who says you have to be taken out on a date, you can bring yourself on a date this Valentine's Day! Spend all the time you need to get to know yourself better, and do activities that make you truly happy. Make yourself a nice cup of coffee in the morning or end the evening with a glass of wine; order in your favourite meal, or learn to cook yourself some steak and fries.

For those who're looking for something a bit different and fun to do at home, get a DIY Terrarium Kit or Home Bonding Art Kit delivered to your doorstep and spend a calming time putting together your very own miniature forest or painting a beautiful starry night sky. Both kits are bookable on Klook and can be delivered to your doorstep, they also come with everything you need from all the equipment to digital guides!

Dedicating time to your passions (may it be a new one or something you've always enjoyed doing) is great for practicing self-love - it helps exercise different parts of your brain, keeps you motivated and inspired, and helps relieve stress as well. If you don't have a hobby, make time for yourself to explore something new, whether it's painting, doodling, photography, baking, writing, gardening, or a new type of sport.

Don't worry if you're bad at it (it doesn't matter), but focus instead on how it makes you feel. If the new hobby you're trying out doesn't spark joy for you, move on and find another. Keep searching until you find that sweet spot and 'happy place' for yourself when what you do fills you with peace, calmness, inspiration, and enthusiasm. Write a book (even if it's just for yourself), get some houseplants (and try to keep them alive!), or make a mess in the kitchen trying to make a Korean bento cake!

Always wanted to experience solo travel but have been putting it off for the longest time? If there's one thing the pandemic has taught us, it's that life is fleeting and unpredictable, and if you don't try to make things happen, you may just miss the window of opportunity. While travelling remains out of the question at the moment, it doesn't hurt to start dreaming a little and start planning an upcoming adventure.

If it's going to be your first solo travel experience, start with somewhere nearby or a destination that is safe and popular amongst solo travellers such as Taiwan, Japan, or South Korea. Start planning by doing some fun research, writing down the places you'd like to visit, things you'd like to eat, and sights you'd like to soak in, and be ready to book that flight ticket once things get better! In case you need an extra push or more inspiration, check out our articles on solo travel and why you should absolutely do it.

No one understands or can love you as much as you can love yourself. If you feel as if you haven't been treating yourself as well as you should, it's time to make up for it this Valentine's Day. One perk of not having a partner is not needing to spend money and effort on creating surprises for someone else - try channeling that effort to love yourself instead!

Treat yourself to a long, nice bath, allow yourself to spend the day in bed watching your favourite drama if that makes you happy, finally make the purchase for something that has been on your mind for the longest time, or cook yourself your favourite meal (and feel free to grab some ice cream or cake after, if that's what you want!).

Tons of studies have shown that social media contributes to depressed feelings - it's too easy to compare yourself to the filter-perfect images you see plastered all over your screen. Stop scrolling through social media mindlessly (you're going to see photo after photo of couples expressing their love towards each other anyway) or getting overwhelmed with emails or texts and allow yourself to not be distracted by the digital world for a day. Time to give your brain (and heart) a break.

Pick up that book that's been collecting dust on the shelf, learn to bake your favourite cookies, or declutter your space with your favourite music in the background. Take this opportunity to declutter your mind, especially if you've been feeling overwhelmed or unhappy recently. Train yourself to not need to check your phone every few minutes because hey, you know it's not good for you. If you can't do this for an entire day, a few hours of digital detox can work wonders as well! Set a time for you to put your electronic devices down temporarily - may it be the few hours in the morning, or a few hours before you go to bed.

Not having a partner does not mean you're not good enough, it simply means you haven't met the right person for you at this point of time. Take this time to shift to a healthier mindset and focus on yourself and your personal journey instead. Make good use of your time 'alone' to take good care of yourself and strive to become a better, healthier, and happier version of yourself.

Make mistakes, celebrate the small things, learn to get to know yourself better, and find ways to make yourself feel more confident, comfortable, and happy. Self-love is tough love and is easier said than done - it also doesn't happen overnight, and you'll likely go through a roller coaster ride of good and bad days on this journey of discovery. However, always remember that you are allowed to let things happen at your own pace - it's totally ok not to rush through things.

No, not your ex-boyfriend or your crush, instead, reconnect with your friends or family to keep your support system close. Since those who are in relationships may find it hard to squeeze out extra pockets of time for their friends and family, make sure you appreciate being able to spend more time with them while you're unattached.

Surround yourself with people who love and encourage you, and don't be afraid to let go of those who bring toxicity and unhappiness into your life. If you don't feel like you have anyone to talk to, reach out and try to seek help (both from your personal circle or professional help if you need to). If you feel like you're suffering, check out counselling, therapy, and support group options available in Malaysia here. You don't have to go through this alone.

While exercising may sound tiring and isn't your thing, it's likely you'll fall in love with it once you find the type of exercise that suits you. Besides, getting a good sweat and some vitamin D (especially after being cooped up indoors facing a screen for so long due to the MCO!) is definitely going to do wonders for you both physically and mentally.

Elevate your spirits by going on a nice walk or by trying a home workout. If you're not a fan of intense exercises, do some simple stretches, try yoga, or even attempt to pick up meditation. For those who need an extra push or motivation, hop on a video call and have a virtual workout session with your friends!

If you're finding it tough to express your feelings verbally, how about trying to write them down? Clear your mind and write yourself a love letter this Valentine's Day! Show yourself the love and appreciation you deserve and pen down all the things you love about yourself, what makes you happy, and what you're thankful for at this moment in time. You can also list down your goals and some things you hope to achieve in the future, and how you plan to get there. This may sound corny, but it's an effective way to remind yourself of the things that matter, and refocus your energy on the important stuff.

Whether it's really a love letter or a page out of a diary doesn't really matter. Once you're done with it, seal it and keep it somewhere safe, under the pillow or in your drawer. Keep your dreams and goals close to your heart, and work towards achieving them one step at a time. Take the letter out a year down the road to re-read it to remind yourself of how far you've come, and hopefully you'll be a happier version of yourself by then.

While most advice on practicing self-love focuses on adopting healthy habits such as eating well and sleeping well, it's ok if you're not yet ready for that. We've suggested a digital detox and getting some exercise in the earlier points in this article, but know that it's fine if you don't want to do any of that. If you just want to sleep in or stay in bed all day, binge-watch your favourite Kdrama for hours, and are craving a cheeseburger at night, do it!

Do whatever you want for the day, give your mind a break, and stop worrying about whether you should. Think what you love doing is a waste of time? Well, there's a saying that time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time. If you feel like not eating or being healthy for a day, then don't be.

No one to get you flowers or desserts? Get them yourself or gift something nice to your best friends this Valentine's Day! Who needs a boyfriend anyway? *winks* Happy Valentine's Day everyone!