Give yourself Self Love for your Valentines Day

by Shahna Duerksen, LMFT, June 2025

Celebrate Valentine's Day with self-love. How would it feel to start this Valentine's Day by loving yourself? For some, it's easy, but others might be unsure where to start. It's often simpler to show appreciation to a friend with a card or a compliment than to express similar appreciation and love towards ourselves.

Self-love is not selfishness. It becomes selfish if you always prioritize your needs over others. True self-love is about valuing yourself and recognizing your self-worth, not listening to the inner critic that puts you down.

You can begin today to love yourself through self-care. Some ideas for how to do this are;

Take yourself on a date, speak kind words to yourself, take a warm bath or schedule that overdue doctor's check-up, journal your thoughts, reflect on your day, or write an affirming loving letter to yourself. These actions show you care about you.

Remember, self-love is not selfish. To receive love, respect, and care from others, you must first show it to yourself.

The February 2019  blog article has been updated in June 2025. Shahna Duerksen, M.A., LMFT #140986, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist located in Fresno, CA, providing both in-person therapy (Fresno, CA) and tele-health services throughout California. Shahna aims to help de-stigmatize mental illness and make it a normal topic of conversation for everyone. She enjoys photography, humor, and travel, often blending these interests into adventurous escapades. Her practice mainly centers on women's experiences. For more details and mental health resources, visit Instagram @shahnaduerksen, psychologytoday.com and to schedule appointments, go to headway.co/providers/shahna-duerksen