As Valentine’s Day approaches, it often brings with it ideas of romance and grand gestures, shaped by what we’re led to believe love should look like.

But love runs deeper and shouldn’t only be reserved for a special someone. It starts from within - how you care for and show up for yourself. How you listen, how you rest, and how you prioritise your needs.

Whether you’re counting down the days to celebrate your partner, or you’re looking forward to a cosy Galentine’s, self-love comes first and sits at the very heart of how we show up in those relationships, and the world around us.

The idea of ‘self-love’ is something that’s been reworked and repeated across social media for years. And yes, it can mean bubble baths and picture-perfect self-care routines, but it’s also about the small, honest ways we show up for ourselves, even when no one else is watching.

So, this Valentine’s Day - whether you have a special someone in your life, or you don’t - let it be a reminder to honour on the one relationship that truly lasts a lifetime: the relationship with yourself.

Here are five ways we’re practising true self-love, in a way that feels real, grounding, and sustainable.

1. Schedule Time for You

Whether you time-block every minute of your day or not, it’s likely that time for you comes last. We rarely think twice about our working hours, meetings, and deadlines - but what about the time needed to do the things that genuinely fill your cup?

That yoga class you book and then cancel every week. The friend you keep rescheduling. The quiet, focused time you crave to start a new hobby. Self-love looks like blocking time in your calendar that’s reserved just for you, without the pressure to be productive or available to anyone else.

2. Slow Down and Listen to Your Body

Burnout has become a buzzword, but at its core, it’s something most of us brush past until we’re already there.

It often starts with noticing you’re tired and choosing not to push through anyway. In day-to-day life, this might look like being more mindful of where your energy is going, creating intentional pauses in your routine, or allowing yourself a self-care evening on a random Wednesday - simply because you need it.

When you slow down, you’re better able to tune into what your body is asking for, rather than overriding it.

3. Protect Your Energy (and Your Boundaries)

There’s a version of you that shows up for everyone else, and a quieter version that feels the cost of that.

Self-love is recognising when you’re overstretched and choosing to respond differently. Saying no without over-explaining. Leaving before you’re exhausted. Letting someone down gently rather than yourself completely.

Protecting your energy isn’t about being less generous - it’s about being more sustainable.

4. Notice How You're Talking to Yourself

We all have that inner voice. Sometimes she’s supportive and encouraging, and other times she can be your harshest critic.

Notice the moments when that voice isn’t being so kind - when you’re tired, feeling behind, or when things don’t go to plan. Self-love is pausing to give yourself a little grace, allowing space to process emotions without immediately turning inward with criticism.

If in doubt, ask yourself: would I speak to my best friend like that?

5. Honour the Rituals That Bring You Back to Centre

Self-love doesn’t need to be dramatic to be meaningful. Often, it’s found in the small pockets of time you return to throughout the day to feel more balanced.

Your morning routine and journalling before the day begins. A weekly coffee date with a close friend. Thursday evening Pilates followed by an intentional wind-down. These moments aren’t indulgent - they’re restorative. They’re what refill your cup and allow you to show up feeling more grounded, for yourself and for others.

Over time, these small rituals become a form of self-trust.

Self-love isn’t about choosing yourself instead of others. It’s about choosing yourself too, in the small, meaningful moments that shape how you show up in the world.

This Valentine’s Day, let that love be expansive. Let it include romance, friendship, connection, and most importantly, the relationship you have with yourself.

Because when you honour your needs and care for yourself with intention, that relationship becomes something you can truly rely on.