Valentine’s Day is a very special time of the year for love and self love.

So, for Week 6 of my 52-Week Best Self Program, I posted a quote by David Wilkerson, pastor of the non-denominational Time Square Church in New York City.

“Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.”

I encouraged readers to make a list of 7 loving things they could do during Valentine’s week. And of course, since I encouraged others to then go out and do these loving gestures, I decided to do the same.

As I wrote, I realized that some of the items on my list were loving toward myself, and some were loving toward others. So I decided to make two lists – 7 loving things I could do for myself and 7 loving things I could do for the important people in my life. Here is what I wrote:

7 loving things to do for others:

• Send valentines
• Show extra tenderness to my husband
• Visit my sister in North Carolina
• Visit my long-time friend, Pat, who is the full-time care provider for her mother who has advanced Alzheimers
• Take my mother to a movie and dinner
• Visit the women’s shelter and take some of their much needed items
• Write a gratitude letter

7 loving things to do for myself:

• Attend my meditation class
• Curl up in my favorite chair with Dani Shapiro’s newest memoir, “Inheritance”
• Go to the beach while visiting my sister in North Carolina
• Re-read the loving cards I received from my friends Pat and Kathi and paste them in my journal
• Spend time preparing for my upcoming trip to Israel
• Get a massage
• Have a Skype call with my heart writer journaling partners

As I wrote this blog post, I had one day more to complete my two lists but had completed all but getting the massage. And I discovered that I derived much more satisfaction from doing items on the first list than I did from doing things for myself. But being my best self means finding a balance.

What loving things have you done during this month of love for yourself and for others?

Please share. You may give us all ideas for the future.

I wish you all much love in your lives.

Sarah Birnbach is a writer and author who shares the transformative power of journaling, providing encouragement and insights to help people on their journey to their “best self” and is the creator of the free 52-Week Best Self Program.