Valentine’s Day and Self-love

Thursday, February 14^th is Valentine’s Day in the United States. In Brazil*, Valentine’s Day is on June 12^th. Whenever you celebrate it, why not dedicate February 14^th to self-love?

Either if you are in a relationship or not, you could choose Valentine’s Day to practice self-love at its best:

1. Plan the day carefully but let go and allow for spontaneity to happen;
2. Have your favorite fruits in the morning – and prepare a nurturing breakfast;
3. Take time to meditate once or twice for at least 10 minutes on Valentine’s Day;
4. Give yourself a box of your favorite chocolate;
5. Buy the most beautiful flowers you can find (or the most affordable if you are on a strict budget) – or make sure to hint to your significant other that you would like to receive flowers and/or chocolate;
6. Do at least one thing that makes you happy: yoga, dance, visit a museum, go for a walk, call a friend, listen to happy music, read your favorite book, rent and watch a movie, write, dress up, give yourself a hug;
7. If you do want to be in a relationship and you are not, visualize how the day would be like, and do the things you can do on your own to celebrate the day and the relationship – live the day as if;
8. Take time for yourself and for self-care;
9. Let go of any attachments to how you’d like the day to go – it is easier to create this way and set an intention such as: My intention on Valentine’s Day is to practice self-love at all times, to honor my needs, to take care of myself all day long and to feel joyful. You can create your own special intention for the day;
10. Don’t forget to look in the mirror and say: I love you!

Releasing attachment to your vision for the day is key. I remember many years ago when I was living with my boyfriend at the time, and we had been together for almost three years. I was pretty sure that he wasn’t going to give me flowers, and I decided - why wait? and got myself flowers on Valentine’s Day. Yes, you guessed it! The year I bought flowers, he also had bought flowers and got really mad.

I always wondered if he would still have bought flowers, had I not bought them myself. It’s so interesting how the universe works. I had no attachment about him giving me flowers, as I already got them on my own self-love practice. I certainly have learned over the years, and have had many confirmations, that the less attached we are to an outcome the more likely it is that we will attract it into our lives. What can you do to let go of attachment to any outcome this Valentine’s Day? How are you planning to celebrate the day?

* Unlike in the USA, in Brazil Valentine’s Day is only celebrated by those in a romantic relationship, and nobody gives greeting cards/gifts to their mothers or friends, or wish each other Happy Valentine’s Day unless they are talking to their significant other.