Radical Self-Love – Being Your Own Greatest Valentine
❤️ Radical Self-Love – Being Your Own Greatest Valentine
Happy February 14th!
Whether you are in a relationship, flying solo, or "it’s complicated," today is traditionally the "Day of Love." But on this blog, we reclaim it for the most important relationship you will ever have: the one with yourself.
Today also happens to be National Ferris Wheel Day and Library Lovers’ Day. These provide the perfect metaphors for today’s journey—recognizing the "ups and downs" of our emotions and the beautiful, complex "stories" we are constantly writing within our own hearts.
In the spirit of Love and Black History, we look toward the words of Audre Lorde: "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."
1. The Ferris Wheel: Embracing the Cycle of Passion
George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. was born today, and his invention is a perfect lesson for the heart. A Ferris wheel moves in a circle; you cannot stay at the top forever, but you also won’t stay at the bottom.
🔑 The Action: The Ride Review
Acknowledge where you are on your "emotional wheel" today without judgment.
Self-Love Tip (Passion): Are you at a peak of excitement? Savor it. Are you in a "valley" of loneliness or fatigue? Remember that the wheel is always turning. Your passion isn't gone; it’s just in a different phase of the cycle.
The Goal: True self-love is staying on the ride even when it’s not at the highest point. Commitment to yourself means being your own anchor through every rotation.
2. Library Lovers’ Day: Your Story as Purpose
A library is a sanctuary of knowledge and history. Today, treat your soul like a cherished library. You are a collection of chapters—some messy, some heroic, all essential to the narrative of your Purpose.
🔑 The Action: The Narrative Shift
If you were a book in a library, what would the "Author's Note" say today?
Self-Love Tip (Purpose): Instead of focusing on what you haven't "fixed" yet, write down three things you have survived and learned this year.
Black History Connection: We honor the storytellers and historians who preserved the truth of the Black experience. Honoring your own personal history—the good and the difficult—is how you build a legacy of authenticity.
3. Radical Care: The Pleasure of "The Only"
Valentine’s Day often puts pressure on us to seek external validation. Today, flip the script. Practice the Pleasure of being "The Only One" you need to please.
🔑 The Action: The Solo Date Ritual
Dedicate at least 30 minutes to an activity that is purely for your pleasure, with no intended audience and no productivity goal.
Self-Love Tip: Buy yourself the flowers. Eat the "fancy" meal on the good china. Take the long bath. Do it because you are worthy of the effort you so often give to others.
The Result: When you provide yourself with high-level care, you set the standard for how the rest of the world is allowed to treat you.
"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation." — Audre Lorde
This February 14th, be your own hero. Celebrate the complexity of your heart, the resilience of your history, and the absolute necessity of your own joy. You are the love of your life.
What is one "radical" act of self-care you will perform for yourself today?
