This Valentine’s Day Is For You
There are a lot of emotions around today. Some people love this day. Quite a few others do not.
In San Francisco, every Valentine’s Day, single people gather to have an annual pillow fight to express their feelings about today.
People now celebrate Galentine’s Day, made famous by Parks & Recreation, as a way to celebrate friends and reject the notion that you need a special someone to enjoy this day.
In Mexico, Valentine’s Day is called El Día del Amor y la Amistad (The Day of Love and Friendship).
It’s amazing how the day has been hijacked by chocolate, jewelry, florist, and card companies when at the core, Valentine’s Day is simply celebrating LOVE.
Who is it to say what kind of love should be celebrated on this day?
Do you know who doesn’t get enough love on Valentine’s Day? Ourselves. If we must learn to love ourselves before loving others, why can’t Valentine’s Day be a day for self-love? If there is any day where we need more self-love, it is today.
What other days do we celebrate ourselves with love? Birthdays? Even on that day, do we really take the time to appreciate ourselves, who we are, and what aspects we love about ourselves?
Now the idea of celebrating yourself may sound indulgent, even narcissistic, but from most of the people I’ve spoken with, having too much self-love is typically not their problem.
VALENTINE’S DAY PLAY CHALLENGE
So, here is the play challenge for Valentine’s Day.
- Identify Your Love Language, as you want to make sure you are giving to yourself in a way you appreciate:
2. Today and any other day hereafter where you haven’t felt celebrated in quite some time, give yourself self-love and treat yourself.
3. Bonus Challenge: Ask Others Today What They Appreciate About You
Now you may think that question is a bit bold and possibly conceited, but why? Are you not ready to receive that level of love? Why treat love as a scarce commodity?
So why not take this day to express it to our friends, family, and ourselves?
Why not fall in love with yourself today?
If you’d like to see how I’m taking on this Valentine’s Day Play challenge, check out my process below:
- Identify Your Love Language, as you want to make sure you are giving to yourself in a way you appreciate.
My top love languages happen to be words of affirmation and acts of service.
2. Today and any other day hereafter where you haven’t felt celebrated in quite some time, give yourself self-love and treat yourself.
Today, I wrote down all the ways I appreciate myself, including how nerdy I am. This is Exhibit A:
Here’s some of what I appreciate about myself:
- How nerdy I am
- How I can brighten up someone’s day
- How I make people feel safe
- How much I love and care for my family
- How much I embody play and fun
- How I don’t care about looking ridiculous
- How I am trying to consistently improve myself
As for an act of service for myself today, I’m going to choose not to burden myself with stress today. Deadlines will come and go but today I’m going to enjoy just being present.
