Don’t get me wrong. I am ALL FOR Valentines Day celebrations.

But I’d love if more of us considered these 2 questions.

Question 1:

What if we choose to just simply love OURSELVES more this year?

It seems we often forget how important it is to show up for our own mental, physical, and emotional health (and not just here and there!), but every single day of the year. When we rely on our validation and sense of self-worth to come from others, we end up on a slippery slope.

We can’t ALWAYS depend on others to show up for us, and say exactly the right things at exactly the right time. In times of great stress and adversity, it’s really important that we can show up for ourselves.

Question 2:

What if we find small but meaningful ways to love our partners EVERY DAY of the year- not JUST on holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries?

Sometimes, it’s the daily, consistent actions that matter most, not the grand gestures on birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries.

We can show our partners love (on a daily basis), by constantly being patient, understanding, compassionate, and interested or engaged in what their interests are, and WHO they are as unique, special beings.

I’ve found that life is simply better when we do these two things.

Here’s some brutal transparency for you all:

I’ve come a long way from the person I was as a sophomore in college, when my boyfriend decorated my dorm room with a dozen roses worth of rose petals. I ended up crying because it “wasn’t what I wanted” and it “came too late in the day.” I also was dismayed that he had taken a perfectly good bouquet of a dozen roses and “ruined” them.

I still remember that my roommate had to knock some sense into me. She didn’t quite say this, but her message was loud and clear – I was being an ungrateful brat. Boy, was Erin right. I was. I REALLY was. I wish I could’ve known then what I know now, but then the last 20+ years wouldn’t have been the wild ride full of learning and growth!

Happy V Day to all you lovebirds who celebrate, and all those who don’t.

For one of David Krautter‘s Valentines Day gifts, I made this video because I’ve really thought about the effort, innovation, creativity, thought, and heart that went into the plethora of Christmas gifts (And Valentines Day gifts) he got me, and I wanted to work on my skills at being a good gift-RECEIVER. We talk a lot, as a society, about being a good gift-GIVER. But we don’t talk (as often) about the art of receiving gifts well. Happy Valentines Day, David!

love loveadvice lovelife lovemonth valentinesday valentinesday2024 valentines valentinesgift loveyourself loveyourselffirst