February 11, 2022

Valentine's Day - Hear from Voya's Staff About What Self-Love Means To Them

In the lead up to Valentine's Day, the team at VOYA has been discussing the most important relationship, the one you have with yourself. As our culture and society get more and more into the idea of self-love through self-care, the concept of truly loving yourself has become all the more relevant. And why shouldn’t you love yourself? After all, you only get one option: To be you. You might as well love who you are!

As famously quipped by Oscar Wilde, "To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance." You deserve your love and attention so dedicate this month and every month to falling head over heels in love with yourself. To celebrate your self-love journey, get 14% off live until Valentine's day with code: LOVE14 and enjoy some well deserved me-time!

Different people have different definitions of what self-love means to them. One person may define self-love as making sure that how they live their life promotes their overall well-being yet someone else may re-frame any negative thinking they have about themselves into positive thoughts. No matter how you celebrate self-love, a common denominator is that self-love is about valuing your own worth. We asked VOYA's staff to answer the question - What does self-love mean to you? We are sharing their quotes of inspiration to spread the love with you 💖

"For me, self-love is about remembering to take time out to focus on your own mental and physical well-being. I believe that women especially, tend to put others' needs before their own. We run around trying to take care of everyone else first, our children, our partners, our families and friends, work, and even our pets! But we forget about ourselves. Taking time for yourself isn’t selfish, it’s vital. As I always say, if I go down then the whole house of cards goes down with me! So self-care is about ensuring that you’ve got the energy to give to others. For me, it can be as simple as taking an evening to myself. Going upstairs, lighting my Lavender VOYA candle, putting on a relaxing playlist, applying my Get Glowing face mask, and then having a long shower, applying our Mindful Dreams relaxing body oil, and then getting into bed early (with fresh sheets of course!) for a good sleep. Bliss." - Jessica Anhold, Head of Marketing

"As a trainer with VOYA, I have made some adjustments to my business and personal lifestyle over the past few years. I was used to hoping on a plane and traveling up to 5 days a week, meeting new people and seeing new places. Then suddenly that came crashing to a holt in 2020. Not only did I have to learn how to work from home, but I also had to learn how to work by myself. I was more comfortable working in-person and connecting with therapist. I had to teach myself more about “self-love” in my new environment. I had to not only think about my physical (going to the gym and exercising) “self-love”, or my skincare routine “self-love”, I now had to be mindful of my mental “self-love”. Making connections with people is therapeutic for me and suddenly I was unable to do that. I still workout (at-home), I am still very mindful of my skin care routine (Cleanse and Mend for my morning cleanse, Totally Balmy for my evening cleanse, My Little Hero Serum and Pearlesque), but now I am aware of my mental health. I take time to decompress with Lazy Days and enjoy the serine time. Something I didn’t always have time for before with my travel schedule. I use Pillow Spray for inhalation when I’ve had stressful day on the computer or my pillow before bed. I take time to just breath, making sure my “self-love” covers all areas of my life." - Whitney Mullins, International Trainer USA

"Self-love, for me, is firstly being content within your own body. Having love and respect for yourself is so important. Knowing your worth and being kind to yourself! Sometimes we can be our hardest critics, try flipping the narrative and become your strongest cheerleader. Take at least 30mins a day to do something for YOU that you enjoy!- be it a bath, a cup of your favourite brew, a walk or run." - VOYA Training Academy

"For some, self-love is a given. Depending on when, where, and how you were born, raised and influenced. These are all factors which contribute to an open and loving state of being, or not. A good vibe or energy can be carried through life with ease and joy, leading to success in all areas; as well as being contagious in the best possible way. A bad vibe might have quite the opposite effect. Prioritising our basic and complex human needs with free communication and 'being at one with yourself' or 'feeling comfortable in your own skin' are some associations I have with self-love. This isn't the case for everyone though. Ultimately, life will throw obstacles at us all and sometimes challenge people to their limits. This is a real test to what 'worth' we give to our self-love. In this sense, self-love, self-worth and self-care are crucial partners in sustaining joy and peace in our life." - Carly Chamberlain, VOYA Trainer

“Self-love for me means unconditional compassion and full acceptance for your whole self as you are. Self-love is empowering and cultivated within by taking responsibility for your own happiness. When I show up for myself and allow myself to receive kindness it fills me up with self-love. Even a small random act of kindness can sustainable positive change and help maintain a sense of fun and perspective. I try to find ways to bring harmony into my life to balance my mind and body. At home, baths are my favorite way to unwind and pamper with candles and a face mask. If I need a pick-me-up Maskerade gives my skin a silky soft and radiant complexion. I love using Lazy Days seaweed bath bundle with organic essential oils to help release tension and calm the nervous system. I am always glowing after, it’s such a nice feeling! I am energised and relaxed at the same time. It’s important to make time for yourself and do things that make you joyful. When you’re grounded and grateful it allows you to explore life with an open heart knowing that you and everyone you meet are doing their best.” – Kateryna Best, PR & Marketing

To read more about VOYA's staff on International Woman's day click here

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