Hey There!! Happy Valentine's Day! I LOVE February, it's such a fun month after January and the rush of Christmas!! I can't resist the candy hearts, pink & red and all that goes with it. It's also my birthday month! ? (My husband is thrilled...Birthday and Valentine's Day both in one month right after Christmas...hehe)
I was thinking about what I wanted to share with you and instead of posting a gift guide or something along those lines (not that there is anything wrong with them) but I felt compelled to think more about the purpose behind Valentine's Day (besides card and chocolate makers making a ton of money lol).
What I came up with was there are 365 days in a year and for my life, I want everyday to have some kind of fun, intentional, playfulness that Valentine's Day has. Not saying it has to be Valentine's Day everyday, but the spirit of it incorporated into daily life, and it doesn't have to be limited to your spouse or significant other.
Here's some things that may help you to add in a daily dose of Valentine's Daily!
Make Eye Contact: When you go out with someone special on Valentine's Day everyone is on their best behavior (Hopefully!) and super attentive. They make an effort to really listen and usually put away the electronic devices and have a real conversation. What if we did that in everyday life as a rule and not the exception? Play a game and see if you can remember the color of the person's eyes when you walk away from them. If you can, you win, if you can't then you've got some opportunity to work on!
Be Present: Many of us, myself included feel busier everyday. I know that if I don't intentionally tell myself to "be present" in the moment, that I will lose it mentally because my mind is on my to-do list, what to make for dinner, etc...try treating your daily moments with the same significance you would a Valentine's Day date night. The reality is this is your life happening right before your eyes...if we aren't intentional and present, it will pass us by and we won't realize those moments are gone until it's too late. When you go out to eat, don't eat and watch tv, talk to who you are with. Same goes for electronic devices...?
Be The Best You: This goes out to all of us who are quite happy to go to dinner in yoga pants and sneakers....sometimes you need to throw on the skinny jeans, bust out some eyeliner and step into some high heels...even if it's just you and your hubby of 15 years and you're going to the same hole in the wall restaurant you've been going to forever. I guarantee you, you will feel awesome about yourself and your significant other will appreciate the effort you made. It's amazing to celebrate doing the little things, and when you are intentional and put a bit of effort into it, I promise you will feel great!
Be Kind and Give Grace: Everyone you come in contact with has a story and some days are better then others. Choose to be kind and give grace not only to those around you, but to yourself as well. Many of us are harder on ourselves then others and we don't even realize it and frankly it's not even helpful because when we are down on ourselves we don't respond well mentally, emotionally or physically to that negativity and then we perpetuate the cycle over and over trying to get a different result out of ourselves but we haven't changed the way we are thinking or treating ourselves. If you can't muster up anything positive, just remember that God loves you and start there.
Enjoy Everyday: Everyday is an amazing gift from God and although we don't like to think they are limited, we are not guaranteed anything except what we have today. Sometimes I find myself getting into "planning mode" about an event or trip and I have to slow myself down and remind myself to make sure to enjoy the day right here in front of me because while it's great and helpful to plan and be organized, those plans may change and the more I am tuned in to today, the less anxious and worried I am of the future because I know that ultimately I don't have control over everything (I'm still learning this!) and if I am so focused on the future, I am not embracing today even if it's a more uneventful or simple day compared to an event or big trip. There's beauty in each moment, if we will take the time to find it and enjoy. It's there whether or not we do, so it's up to us to embrace each moment and pause.
Make the Little Things Special: Not everyday is going to be glamorous and exciting. You can either go through each day checking all those boxes, or you can choose to enjoy the little things...savor your morning coffee, take a bubble bath, light candles at dinner. This is your life and you have the opportunity to ? each day for what it is...even if it's picking up dog poo! LOL
I hope you have an amazing Valentine's Day and even after the day passes, enjoy a daily dose of Valentine's daily into your everyday life!
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