When was the last time you wrote yourself a love letter?

September always feels like a love filled month to me. Influenced no doubt by the fact that it is my birthday month!

Feeling joy or love can be difficult or seem silly when we are picking up the pace and busy with all of life’s demands.

We often think of expressing love for others, but rarely take a moment to express some self-love to, well, ourselves. But it turns out, taking a moment for some reflective writing has proven benefits like decreasing anxiety and increasing creativity and confidence.

When was the last time you wrote yourself a love letter?

The feeling of finding the letter a few weeks or months later and reading a kind and encouraging note to yourself can really bring a smile to your heart!

There is just something about writing a letter. It evokes romance and nostalgia. It shows dedication and appreciation. And that is exactly what you deserve.

Keen to try? It doesn’t need to take much effort or time.

Find a safe place to sit, some writing paper and a pen you really like. Don’t type. Take your time and handwrite slowly, using elegant script or the messy scrawl of your youth, whatever you like best. Give yourself a salutation that makes you smile. Use the pet name that makes your heart feel young and gratified. (My parents always called me Bilulu, it is one of my most preferred terms of endearment.)

For some, it can be hard to write down what they love about themselves. So, start thinking about what your friends or your family love about you.

A key part of this exercise is writing to yourself in third person. What that sounds like: Dear (your name!), I love how you... It might feel weird at first, but it's an approach worth sticking with.

If you need some prompts to encourage you, here are a few examples

• Dearest you/me…
• I decided I need to express my feelings because…
• I love you from the bottom of my heart because…
• You make my day when you…
• I’m really proud of you because…
• What makes you different from anyone else is…
• I’m grateful to you because…
• What I wish for you is…

If you feel hesitant to write to yourself, or find this show of love challenging, here are a few ways to jumpstart your self-love.

Gaze into your eyes in the mirror for 5 minutes.

Take as long as you need to sit still and connect with your heartbeat.

Pretend you’re your own secret admirer. Or, channel your inner best friend.

Now seal the letter and either post it to yourself or leave it some place safe and set a reminder for a week or a month’s time to read it. Put the letter somewhere special. It can be placed high and visible, a daily reminder to care for yourself, or boxed and treasured for a future, forgotten surprise. Another option: Trade your envelope with a partner and promise to mail it to each other in the next couple of months.

If you're interested in more celebrations of self-love check out my previous blog So, how do I love thee? Let me count the (100) days! and start your own 100 day celebration today (you can get your very own 100 Day Celebration chart HERE.)

With love,