Love Starts With You: TaraVista’s Call for Self-Love This Valentine’s Day
When Valentine’s Day arrives each February, chocolates, dinner reservations, and flowers naturally come to mind—especially flowers, as Valentine’s Day is the biggest day of the year for floral sales in the U.S., with Americans spending nearly $3 billion on blooms alone. These gestures are often how we show love to others. But what if this year, Valentine’s Day became just as much about showing care and compassion for yourself as it is about celebrating someone else?
Self-love is not a trendy buzzword—it’s a foundational element of mental and emotional wellness. This February, TaraVista Behavioral Health Center is using the holiday to remind us that loving yourself deeply and intentionally is as important as any romantic relationship. Rather than seeing Valentine’s Day only as an outward-facing celebration of partners, TaraVista encourages the community to pause, reflect, and honor the relationship we have with ourselves.
At its core, self-love means giving yourself the same compassion, patience, and care that you freely give others. It means acknowledging your worth not because someone else validated it, but because you recognize it. Mental wellness experts agree that this inner kindness fuels resilience, supports emotional balance, and strengthens our ability to connect with others. For example, practices like mindful self-compassion are shown to diminish harsh self-judgment and support emotional well-being.
For many, this Valentine’s Day is an invitation to shift perspective. Instead of focusing solely on outward expressions of love, we can look inward and intentionally choose to nurture our own mental and emotional needs. After all, how we treat ourselves sets the tone for all other relationships in our lives.
Karyn Rossacci, Chief Nursing Officer at MiraVista and TaraVista Behavioral Health Centers, knows well the connection between self-care and overall wellness. In her role leading nursing practice across the behavioral health facilities, she has seen firsthand how self-attunement can be transformative.
“Self-love isn’t selfish,” Rossacci says. “It’s a vital part of staying mentally well. When we honor our own needs—our thoughts, emotions, boundaries, and health—we cultivate strength and clarity that radiate outward into every part of our lives.”
Rossacci emphasizes that self-love doesn’t mean perfection or constant happiness. Rather, it’s about acceptance—recognizing that you are worthy of care even on your hardest days.
“True self-love begins with listening,” she explains. “Listen to your body when it needs rest, your mind when it needs calm, and your heart when it needs reassurance. Those are not signs of weakness—those are signs that you are human and deserving of care.”
So just how does one practice self-love this Valentine’s Day? Here are a few tips grounded in mental wellness principles:
- Start with Kind Self-Talk
Instead of focusing on flaws or failures, rehearse affirmations that acknowledge your strengths. For example: “I am worthy of peace and joy.” This shifts internal dialogue from criticism to compassion. Reinforce all those characteristics that make you, you and what it is you love about yourself.
- Prioritize Your Well-Being
Schedule time for activities that restore and nurture you—whether that’s a walk outside, journaling, meditating, or simply sitting quietly with a warm cup of tea or cocoa. Making time for these things isn’t indulgence—it’s self-respect.
- Set Healthy Boundaries
Self-love means protecting your energy. Saying “no” to extra obligations when you’re overwhelmed is not rude—it’s necessary. Respecting your limits helps prevent burnout and preserves your emotional reserves.
- Connect Authentically
Reach out to friends, family, or a community that supports you—but do so in ways that feel nourishing. Genuine connection matters, but it should uplift, not drain, your spirit.
- Celebrate Small Wins
Maybe today you woke up on time. Maybe you reached out for help. These small actions are worthy of acknowledgment. Self-love happens in the everyday as much as in the big moments.
Rossacci reminds us that caring for ourselves is not a one-day event but an ongoing practice.
“Loving yourself is like tending a garden,” she reflects. “It needs steady attention, patience, and trust that what you’re doing feeds growth. Some days will bloom beautifully—and some days will not. And that’s okay. Love remains.”
So, as this Valentine’s Day approaches, encourage yourself to see the holiday as an opportunity not just to give love, but to receive it from within. Whether you celebrate with others or spend a quiet evening on your own, the most enduring love you can nurture is the one you give yourself. Sometimes, the best person to spend time with, is you.
