Here Are 10 Quick Ways To Show Love To Your #1 Valentine (And Its Not Your Significant Other)
By admin
Tomorrow is a day that Hallmark cherishes beyond words: Valentines Day.
Or as my romantic husband likes to call it: “a corporate holiday created to bring in revenue between Christmas and Easter”. But because I am a hopeless romantic and his title is far too long, I’ll continue to refer to it as Valentine’s Day.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a phony holiday created to make us buy chocolates, cards, and flowers… it’s still a day that makes us feel loved and special.
So words to the wise: even if you don’t believe in the day, still do at least a little something special for that special someone in your life… Trader Joe’s sells flowers for $ 5, a bottle of Korbel is $ 10.99… put those together and you’ve got a happy date!
This is of course a hint to my husband (Yes, Dan reads the blog daily).
But I regress…
Sure feeling the love for our significant others is important, and each year I wake up on the 14th of February thinking maybe this year my guy will surprise me with a rose (or 12), but the love of our spouse isn’t the golden nugget in life.
Having love for ourselves is.
When we love ourselves we make it easier for others to love us and for us to love others. Cheesy? Likely. But oh so true.
I can not put all the pressure on my husband to let me know I am loved and neither can you. Good things come to those that love themselves.
Tomorrow is Valentines, and while I encourage each of you to do something special for your significant other, don’t forget about your #1 valentine… you.
It’s okay to show extra love and attention to you.
There is an “I” in ValentIne’s Day after all… right!? What there isn’t is a “U”. Be selfish, even if just for a few moments.
Be selfish every single day. Not just on Valentine’s day. Show yourself some TLC every day.
Dan backs up his hate for Cupid’s Day by explaining that he shows his love for me 365 days a year, why should I need something extra on this day? Of course I roll my eyes at this but in part he’s right. I don’t question his love for me at all… but I often question my love for myself.
So to celebrate the I in Valentine’s Day here are 10 ways to easily show yourself love!
10 Ways TO Show Love To Your True Valentine
1. Toss out food guilt.
Anne said it best earlier this week when she said, “to be healthy sometimes you have to be unhealthy.” Tomorrow is one of those days where I give you permission to give yourself permission to eat the chocolates out of that beautiful heart shaped box. Give yourself permission to order the pasta Alfredo and then enjoy each and every delicious bite of the chocolate souffle.
Instead of focusing on the calories, focus on the company around you. Savor it and embrace it. You can always run a few miles tomorrow, eat a bit lighter for the rest of the weekend… but for now throw out guilt and just eat what you want.
2. Wear your favorite outfit.
So what if you’re not going out for a date? On most Fridays, I plan a stay home date for Dan and I. The fine China comes out, I make a great dinner and we even get dressed up as if we were going out.
Some might think it’s silly, but you’ll feel pretty, you’ll feel special. If wearing a particular pair of heals makes you feel sexy and confident then sport them for the day. I will be!
These make me smile.
3. Spend 30 minutes sweating.
You always feel great after a good workout, right? So don’t feel rushed to get to dinner, meetings, or where ever else you’re expected to be. Carve out 30 minutes or so to yourself to get your sweat on. Afterwards you’ll feel amazing and happy that you did. Plus, you’ll feel a lot better about going guilt-free.
If your spouse asks if you really need to workout… answer YES!
4. Massage time.
Get a massage or give yourself one. If you don’t have a significant other to lend a massaging hand, treat yourself to an hour massage (great deals at places like Massage Envy) or stop by Target and pick up one of those massagers. Turn on some candles, play some music and enjoy a spa day!
Muscles (mental and physical) need to relax and what better way to help both than with a gentle touch?
5. Give someone a complement.
And not your significant other. Studies show giving compliments to others helps us feel better about ourselves. It takes no time or effort to tell someone you like their shoes or that their red sweater really makes their eyes pop.
Even go so far as to buy a co-worker an almond milk latte.
6. Write an email love letter.
When I need to remember something for later, I’ll often write myself an email. Then when I get to my office computer, it’s in my inbox as a reminder.
Do the same thing today but write a love letter to yourself. Spend just 3-5 minutes writing a sincere letter to yourself announcing what you love about yourself. Don’t hold back, because it’s for your eyes only you don’t have to worry about coming off as vain or conceded (which even if others were reading it, it wouldn’t). We deserve to love traits and features about ourselves.
The #1 rule is that everything in the letter has to be positive. Rule #2 is it has to be written in the present tense (no, I loved you when you were 10 pounds lighter talk)… and Rule #3, you have to read that email at least 3 times tomorrow.
7. Pamper yourself.
Like wearing something that makes you feel special, do something for yourself that makes you feel like a queen.
Too often we get so wrapped up in life that we forget to treat ourselves. We treat others great but neglect ourselves of sleep, love and pampering.
- Go get your nails done, or do them yourself, or if you’re like me take the 5 minutes to remove old chipped polish off.
- Sign up for a yoga class
- Go to a coffee shop and read a book during your lunch break.
- Buy a new outfit (I will be doing this today)! Do anything that makes you feel just a smidge more special.
Don’t rely on others to make this happen.
8. Unplug.
Love yourself by detaching from the social world around us. Stop looking at all the amazing gifts that your friends’ husbands got them for the day and instead live in the moment for yourself.
How can you focus on the one that is most important if you’re focusing on everyone else? You can’t.
Put your phone away, sign off from Facebook and Twitter and live for the moment. I need to follow this piece of advice too!
9. Make a playlist.
I recently signed up for Spotify to help create playlists for boot camps. It’s the best decision ever. Boot campers are happy but I am thrilled because I am able to create music for me. No longer am I having to grab songs with others in mind.
I have an ever growing playlist with songs from Lifehouse, Cher (love her), Celine Dion, and Limp Bizcut… random? Yes. But each song makes me smile.
Do the same, put together a playlist not for working out, but a “be happy” playlist. Instant mood lifter.
10. Tell yourself those 3 words we all want to hear.
Yes, say “I love me”.
Say it now! Say it loud and say it proudly. Say it with conviction.
When was the last time you did something so honest? For some, probably never. We say the “L” word to friends, family, and pets…but never to our #1 love… us!
An even better idea? Listen to your most cheesy favorite love song and then say it. I promise you’ll smile!
Are you a fan of Valentine’s Day?
What’s your favorite cheesy love song?
You would think I would be ashamed and keep this to myself but I love Celine Dion. My mom used to make me sing Celine Dion songs to her friends when I was around 5 years old. Then in high school my bff and I would sing to the top of our lungs… It’s All Coming Back To Me
And just recently I came to find that one of my closest friends also has a past of screaming this song. Oh bonding over Celine is the best.