As Valentine's Day has come and passed, I often find myself reflecting on the oddity of it all. One day of the year, you're supposed to express love. However, this holiday only prioritizes the love between couples.

All I'm saying is if we're really going to celebrate the Day of Love, we need to market to every type of love. According to the Greeks, there are eight different types. The one that we often ignore during this time of year is philautia, also known as self-love.

But, how do we really practice self-love?

To be honest, philautia is a spectrum. You can practice it by treating yourself every once in a while. Maybe it's by getting your favorite ice cream or finally watching that show you've been waiting to see. It's okay to spoil yourself every once in a while. You earned it!

However, self-love is not only done through spoiling yourself but also by respecting your mind and body. It's crucial to take care of yourself if you want to gain philautia. This means staying hydrated, getting enough rest, and listening to what your body needs.

This type of love is both mental and physical. Which means, it's going to take time and effort.

I wish I could tell people that self-love is an easy road. However, I would be lying. I am still on my path to learning philautia and how to incorporate it into my daily life.

So, if Valentine's Day is truly about expressing love, then we might as well express love in all its forms. This is a sign from me to you, telling you, you are worthy of your own love. It is not selfish. It is healthy and crucial if you want to be able to love someone back.

So, dress up in your cutest or comfiest outfit, buy some good chocolate, and start the beautiful journey that is philautia.