In the fall of 2022 I embarked on a self-love experiment. I didn’t really realize it at the time, but when I rented my own townhouse on the lake and started living by my own rules, everything changed.
But also, nothing changed… at first.
But eventually, over time, little by little, I let go of parts of me that weren’t serving me or that weren’t honoring my best self, so to speak, and started creating little habits and rituals every day that helped me feel like I was choosing ME.
Sometimes in relationships, we don’t really realize how much of ourselves we give to others. And then we give and give and give in order to feel valuable and prove our worth to people who will never see it, then we feel drained because our efforts are not being acknowledged and then we get resentful of the person and the relationship and then we end up hating ourselves…
Yes, that was riddled with red flags, flags I can see now, but wasn’t able to in my past.
Besides reading countless books and therapy sessions and dark night of the soul workbooks and shadow work, and inner child healing, I make sure that every day I meditate, I (mostly) eat well (and at the same time), walk/hike, drink a ton of water, and do a stretching/yoga routine before bed, journal and try to get in bed at the same time every night. I feel like even if I’m not productive in any other way, I know that if I’ve done these things, then I’ve taken care of myself.
When I moved again to Le Dome at the end of October’23, I started a few new little rituals including a quick morning qigong patting ritual and lymphatic release while staring at my eyeballs in the mirror telling myself I LOVE YOU.
I KNOW THIS SOUNDS FUNNY… AND IT IS! My dogs stare at me while I do it and I usually start laughing and it puts me in a great mood as soon as I wake up. It takes just a few minutes and then I pat down my arms and waist and legs as well and do a few quick stretches to start my day.
At night, after I’ve done my yoga/stretching routine, and carried the dogs up to bed 😂 I grab one of three pink pens and I write I LOVE YOU 💖 on this canvas… every night.
I began this ritual around the end of November 2023, when I realized this blank canvas (which I gesso’d months before I moved) was perfect in this little spot, which already had a nail (and there was a nail above as well, so I just randomly stuck that flower up too). I never meant for it to be permanent (since it was a blank canvas) but decided that part of my new daily ritual for my self-love experiment was to write I love you every night and see how it turns out.
My goal was to do it for an entire year, but it’s almost filled up now and it’s only been about 2-1/2 months! Eventually the words and letters will overlap and I think I’ll love it even more.
I chose pink because my entire room is pink but you can choose any color. I love this idea because I’m creating art one day at time while also reinforcing positivity, and choosing myself before bed (and in the morning when I say I LOVE YOU in the mirror). I’m hoping the dual action of it will really sink into my subconscious and my inner child and I will all grow together – in love.
I think mental health is very important… and it’s something that I have to work at every day and I almost feel neurotic with all the little things I do to make sure I’m hitting all my points, but I know when I don’t take care of myself in these way, I just don’t function well at all. So I’d rather be a bit neurotic, meditating, and walking and stretching and journaling and reading and (by the way, I do all of this at home, I’ve only ever taken one yoga class in my entire life) but I’ve been doing some version of this nighttime stretching routine since I worked at Hard Rock Cafe, when I was 19 years old… something I started because if I didn’t, my back would hurt in the morning after being on my feet all night working… 28 years later and that ritual is still a daily habit which has kept me limber and flexible as a bonus.
Anyway.. enough blabbing..
Here’s What I Used…
* Blank canvas… you can buy OR buy gesso and paint over a canvas you have but don’t like, like I do 😃
NOTE: I think this canvas is about 16 x 24 (this is my guess, anyway, it’s not very big) and it came with the gold frame. I taped off the framed and gesso’d it months ago. It had a texture already behind it, so that’s what you see in the closeups, the canvas was painted in a black and gold abstract with a bit of texture… OMG I JUST FOUND A FRAMED BLANK CANVAS ON AMAZON! Sorry for the excitement, I wasn’t aware they existed to buy with a variety of frame colors!
* Pastel Pink markers… I used a pink pastel highlighter from this set, a random pink sharpie and another random pink marker I found. You can use any colors you like! I chose three very similar pinks so it would have a monotone look with some variation, but nothing too bold. This is just a choice. The best part is that you can choose whatever you like! Whatever color makes you feel LOVED 🥰
That’s literally it!
REMEMBER: THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
I chose to write in the same cursive with heart at the end in a straight line, but not all of mine are straight. You can also write them diagonally or vertically or any which way you like, as long as you like it and you LOVE IT, that’s all that matters. It’s for YOU!
My very first one didn’t include a heart at the end, but every single one since has. One heart I made near the bottom is too big and it sticks out to me, but I’m learning to love it as I learn to love myself and all of my flaws.
ALSO… if you want to draw open hearts instead or a different saying that resonates with you, DO IT!
Please remember, the colors are not accurate here.. they are most accurate in the photo with my hand holding the markers!
It’s not about the art as much as it is about the ritual and moment to take for yourself, to choose yourself and tell yourself you are important and I LOVE YOU 💕
Happy GALentine’s Day, Lovecats!
* Remember, to love yourself THE MOST ❤️
* Find all my Valentine’s Day posts here
Hello 2024! Positive High-Vibe Feelings ONLY + Free Printable
Ain’t Nothin’ Gonna Break my Stride, I Got to Keep on Moving
