Take part in our 'Love yourself week' challenge this February

While romantic love is great, we believe that it's important to show ourselves some love too – whether we're in a relationship or not. Take part in our #loveyourselfweek challenge which starts next Monday (12th February) and try a new challenge each day to build up your self esteem.

Share your pictures on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #loveyourself week and share the graphic below to get your friends involved! Read on to find out what the challenges are.

The 'love yourself' week challenges

Day one – My best qualities

If your self esteem is low, it can be difficult to remember all of the things that make you great. Start by writing a list of your best qualities and see if you can make it to ten.

What goes on the list is up to you – your best qualities can be big or small. If you think one of your best qualities is that you make an amazing omelette, then put it on the list. Are you a great friend? Put that down too.

Reminding ourselves of our best qualities can help to build up our confidence. Hang on to the note and take a look at it when you're feeling down.

Day two – Positive thoughts

Negative thoughts can wear you down and become difficult to ignore. It's important to remind ourselves that we don't need to cling to our past mistakes – that we are not our mistakes. Start the day by finding a positive affirmation to inspire you – you can find a few on our Pinterest board.

If you want to tackle your negative thoughts long-term, read our article on silencing your inner critic.

Day three – Love letter

There are days when we all need a pep talk and so that's what you're going to write today. Write yourself a letter reminding yourself that you're brilliant and strong – and include some of your best qualities from your day one list. Recall occasions where you've done something that you're proud of and include those too.

Decorate it with little drawings if you feel like it!

Day four – Social detox

Social media can be a great way to stay in touch with old friends, but it can also remind us of areas of our life that we're unhappy with. It's easy to get frustrated when others appear to be leading perfect lives on Instagram, even though the reality can be very different.

Do a social media spring clean and unfollow anyone who makes you feel bad about your life in any way. Unfollow people who irritate you. If the news is making you feel stressed, why not unfollow news websites too? Keep the people who make you feel inspired and motivated – and the people you care about.

Find some inspiring new people to follow here.

Day five – Friendship

Seeing ourselves as others see us can be really revealing. While we might forget our best qualities, our friends certainly don't. Ask a friend what they like most about you – you'll probably be surprised by what they say! Return the favour and say what you like about them too.

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Day six – Small goals

Building up our self esteem can take time, but it doesn't need to be daunting. By setting ourselves small goals, we can raise our confidence over time.

Set yourself a small goal to motivate you, such as cooking a new recipe once a week or going for a walk every weekend. Once you've formed a new habit, you'll feel ready to set some bigger goals.

Day seven – Time out

Today's a great day to take time out. It can be hard to say no to social occasions or to say: "I need a day of rest." But sometimes, it's just what you need in order to recharge your batteries and take care of yourself.

If you don't have time to do it today, plan a day to yourself and stick to it. Don't let others hijack your plans! This is your day.

Read our tips for having a great day off.