This year, I did something different for Valentine’s Day. I didn’t wait for someone else to make me feel special. I became my own Valentine.

I joined a group of people, and we all did the same thing: we wrote a love letter to ourselves. We even made our own DIY Valentine’s Day cards.

At first, it felt a little strange. It was hard to know what to write. I felt a bit uncomfortable, like I was doing something wrong. But I kept going. I learned that it’s okay to sit with that weird feeling and do it anyway.

I spent almost three hours writing my letter, making my card, and learning new ways to take good care of myself.

And you know what? By the end of those three hours, I swear I felt like a different person. I felt stronger. I felt powerful.

The most important thing I learned is that I am my first love. Before anyone else can love me, I need to love myself. And it felt really, really good.