1. Exercise

Showing up for yourself by keeping active has many benefits. Exercising helps you feel more relaxed while increasing endorphin levels that can last throughout your day. Keeping active should be fun and something you look forward to incorporating in your day to day, make sure to pick an activity that you or your family enjoy. 

This can be anything from going on a morning or evening walk or jog around your neighborhood or city. Or something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevators. Or even having a friendly competition between friends or co-workers to see who can get the most steps each day. Consistent, physical activity for at least 10 minutes a day can be a step to show yourself self- love daily. 

2. Be your biggest supporter

Many thoughts cross our minds as we are going throughout our day, good and bad. It can be easy to allow those negative thoughts or moments to derail our day, but we challenge you this Valentine’s season and continue on throughout the rest of the year, to focus on the good. Encourage yourself and those around you. By practicing gratitude daily, we can take our negative thoughts or outlooks and turn them into positives. We all have so many thoughts throughout each day. Majority of these thoughts are negative thoughts. Don’t let you be your toughest critic, instead focus on your strengths, give yourself a compliment or an encouraging thought.

This Valentine’s Day, love the ones around you and love yourself. You deserve it, not just on February 14th but every day before and after it too. Take care of yourself, love yourself and KeepMoving!

Check out more healthy living tips, and wellness events for the whole family on our Keep Moving Oklahoma City tab!

Written by Corey Cargill, ccargill@ymcaokc.org