February is the month of hearts and love. Teddy bears, chocolate, flowers, and heart shaped gimmicks line the aisles at your neighborhood stores, happy couples are all over Instagram, and awareness campaigns are everywhere promoting American Heart Month.

Valentine’s day is about your loved ones, and American Heart Month is about, well, America’s heart health. However, interestingly, this year the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute centered their campaign around not everyone else’s hearts but your heart. Their page on the annual observance displays the headline
“When we take care of #OurHearts as part of our self-care, we set an example for those around us to do the same.”

This represents a welcome change in the marketing tactics that are being used during this month and it’s observances; the most important heart, your biggest valentine, will always be you.

Yes, this is a blog on self -care and self love in honor of the month of hearts. Mostly, it’s a blog on how to be the best you both in your relationships and for yourself.