Whether you’ve got a special other in your life right now, or if you’re single and proud of it, Valentines Day is a reminder that love matters. It matters that we care for our nearest and dearest and it matters that we care for ourselves first!

Because you can’t pour from an empty vessel.

So – top it up and get self-caring with our six super self-love ideas.

6 Super self-care ways to show yourself some love this Valentines!

1. Take a National Holiday in your own name - yes – you can call it “St Brandon’s Day”. And make sure you don’t lift a finger. Turn the phone off. Don’t even switch on that laptop! This is your time – so cover the clocks too! Book the day off from work – and keep your word to yourself (saints don’t lie!).
2. Stop verbally abusing yourself! We all have a little critical voice on our shoulder (or our ear). Just turn it off for the day. When you hear that little voice turn up - have a word back with it – “look, I’m giving you the day off from being critical” and ask it kindly to go away. You never know – one day without your critical voice might lead to a week – or even a lifetime.Bliss!
3. Give in to the easiest option. If you don’t like cooking – don’t cook! If you’d really rather spend the day in your PJ’s go for it. Have an hour-long bath. Or shower. Whatever you do, luxuriate in it. Embrace it, enjoy it and let yourself wonder what other easy options you could employ next?
4. Have something amazing to look forward to. As humans we get a lot of enjoyment looking forward to something, so although you possibly can’t be booking a holiday right now, you can get planning one. Spin the globe, do some research, find a fabulous place that you’d love to visit. And, so you’ll enjoy it even more by talking to locals when you get there, perhaps even learn the language, Talking of which…
5. Learn something you’ve always wanted to learn. An instrument? A new game? Yes, even the language. You’re bound to find tutorials on YouTube, so have a day to see how far you can get.
6. Choices can be stressful so take the choice away. Decide on a meal plan at the beginning of a week and stick to it.Have the same breakfast every day and free up your brain to work on more complex things than “cereal or toast”

7. Here's a bonus: Don’t hold onto stuff just because someone gave it to you. That giftcard you’ll never spend – sell it on Cardyard and get yourself something you DO want. And the same applies to that awful ornament/picture you’ve had for year. You know the one! Pack it into your charity shop box, and remember to take it when lockdown ends.

WIN SOME CHOCOLATE - and share it or enjoy it yourself. The choice is yours.

PS: and if thoughts of Valentines has got your heart pumping for chocolate - enter our competition here to win some Hotel Chocolat vouchers: Hotel Chocolat Competithttps://www.cardyard.co.uk/blog/win-hotel-chocolat-vouchersion https://www.cardyard.co.uk/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBdlpOIiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--cddcc444457e82b713daab4d5ca577233841651b/choc2.jpg