5 Things You Can Do Today to Practice Self-Love & Gratitude for the People in Your Life

5 Things You Can Do Today to Practice Self-Love & Gratitude for the People in Your Life

“Notice the people who are happy for your happiness, and sad for your sadness. They’re the ones who deserve special places in your heart.” 

When was the last time you did something for yourself?

When was the last time you were proud of yourself and your achievements and simply grateful for where you are now and the people that helped you along the way? We praise and celebrate everyone else but ourselves.

Valentine’s Day is all about love, but there’s no rule that says it has to be all about romantic love. February 14th is also a great time to:

  1. Take care of yourself first and foremost
  2. Show appreciation for friends – the old ones, the close ones, the fast ones, the true ones, and most importantly, the best ones.

Interesting fact!

A few years ago, researchers at the London School of Economics conducted an interesting experiment to see what kinds of interactions made people happy. When it came to those who made participants happiest, friends were number one (they are believed to increase happiness by 8.2%), followed by a spouse or a partner (5%) and family (just 2.9%). We are wired to be social, and interpersonal relationships (not just romantic ones) are a crucial part of our life.

Research is also showing some correlation between low self-esteem and depression so it is so important that we do take the time to appreciate ourselves and how far we have come.

Don’t take it for granted…

Romantic love can be a true gift and it is great to have a partner to share life with but there are other forms of love and relationships that often get neglected – at least by the media in their race to sell us more things this valentine.

We barely hear about the importance of friendship for our health and happiness. That is why this year, at FL, we want to make Valentine’s Day about self-love and appreciation for our relationships. We encourage you to make an effort to value the people and relationships we often take for granted.

Here are a five things you can do today to practice self-love and gratitude for the people in your life are:

Give yourself the gift of time 

Block out an hour to nourish yourself. Have a quiet moment, read a book you love, watch a movie, go for a walk do something that you love doing but have not had the time to do this month. You deserve it!

Bring a friend for FREE

Networking can seem scary if you go alone, but it is always better with a friend. Growing your network means more than just finding new people who can help you get where you want to go. It is about building relationships, creating opportunities and a support network that you can rely on when times are tough. Join a networking club in your region and if you book today (14th of February), you can bring a friend for FREE. Their ticket is on us here at FL. You can find all our events here. 

Acknowledge their achievements

Is your friend a phenomenal woman who is working hard on building her own business or career but not getting the recognition she deserves? It is time to show her some love! Acknowledge their professional achievements by putting them forward for an award. They have to be in it to win it. Give them a chance to take part in the most exciting festival of inspiration. Nominate your hard-working friends here.

Encourage personal development 

Personal development is more than just working on talents you already have: it’s about growing, becoming more aware, and gaining valuable abilities that you can use to make an impact in this world. As an organisation we are focused on developing and supporting female talent, connecting women to opportunities. This month we are running a competition with a chance to win one year’s Premium Membership with FL for two – enter by the end of February and share the prize with your best friend! Sign up today to enter the competition. 

Tell them they inspire you

Let’s spread gratitude with just one click. Share this message with your beloved friends to simply remind them of how much you care about them.

Click to tweet to your friends: “Thank you for being my friend. You’re strong, independent, and caring and you inspire me to become a better person. Just so you know, you’re amazing.” (Don’t forget to tag your friend) 

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