Valentine’s Day: The Beauty Therapy Way

Oh my Beauties,

It’s Valentine’s Day, and I’m certain that this day holds a deep meaning for you. Whether the day makes you sigh with a full heart, or roll your eyes with a heavy one — it’s a day dedicated to love.

So let’s talk love!

Whether you have a loved one you’re celebrating, or using the day to hang with your single ladies — let’s make today a wonderful celebration of the ultimate love.

Self-love, that is!

Beauties, I know you’re probably much like me and you find yourself lost in the hustle and bustle of life. The bills, the groceries, the laundry, maintaining the house and life’s relationships (from family, to friends, to your significant other). But just like any relationship, finding time means carving it out. Often the most valuable aspects of life take intention and hard work, which isn’t always so glamorous (at first glimpse).

The same goes for the relationship with YOURSELF, Beauty!

Honoring, cherishing and respecting yourself is a romantic relationship that so few of us treat with equal attention as we treat all the relationships above (including the tedious to-do lists).

On top of that, we’re fed lines like you can’t love another until you love yourself.

Wait wait wait, are you serious?

Are you telling me that I won’t find love until I love myself completely? Well damn, loving myself is a long journey, often a lifetime journey. Self-love is a process, not some overnight trick that leaves me 100% self-loving by the next morning. So then, am I doomed if I’m still on the path towards fully realized self-love?

Absolutely not!  I’m here to tell you that loving yourself is a process, and by no means do you have to arrive at full self-love in order to celebrate love itself. Relationships and love are huge, they are ever-changing and expanding and evolving. As are you.  

My personal evolution towards fully loving myself began with a simple promise to feel fulfillment both personally and professionally. Here’s how it started…

A few years ago, my insecurities were at an all-time high. While I was booking modeling and hosting work, my career path seemed shaky and unsteady. Personally I felt like a hot mess — and not the good kind of hot. I was broken. I was confused. I was scared enough to seek guidance and help. To look at myself in the mirror and not truly recognize the personal staring back, that was terrifying.

My journey to true and unconditional self-love started the moment I realized it was desperately lacking. Through days, weeks, months and now years of time spent with my therapist, my mentors, meditating and turning over my will to a higher power — I’m now able to look in the mirror and love who is staring back at me. And not for the physical being that reflects back, but for the internal beauty I now feel so secure and confident about.

So how could I possibly contribute to a relationship with my (now fiancé) then boyfriend? Well, I couldn’t. Thank God for the loving, patient and supportive man in my life who afforded me the time to mend and heal. Today, I’m so grateful and happy to report that we are two whole individuals, who can co-create a wholesome, happy and fulfilled love.  

We’re all works in progress. That goes for our relationship with ourselves and with our significant others. Every relationship requires work, commitment and quality time.

So no need to beat yourself up if you don’t feel so self-loving or loved, just take a small step in the direction towards the love you deeply desire.

Here are some of my favorite steps to take:

• Buy yourself a dozen roses
• Enjoy a romantic comedy
• Cook yourself your favorite meal
• Go on a hike & enjoy the great outdoors
• Share a movie with loved ones  
• Enjoy a bubble bath with a good book  

What little action of self-love are you going to share with yourself today? And not just today Beauties, let’s keep the self-love train chugging down the tracks of life on a regular basis. I would love to hear all about your self-love journey in the comment section below.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Beauties! You’re all my valentines…today and everyday!

xoxo,