There was a time in my life when I hated Valentine's Day. I was
one of those girls that made comments that it was just a Hallmark holiday. I
thought the day about your special partner was so stupid, (probably because I
didn't have a honey) that my best friend and I created our own day in February
to celebrate ourselves and our friendship. We didn't need a day of Love; we had
our own day now! Fifteen years later, we still celebrate February 11th as
Bender/Alicia Day :) As time has gone on, I have realized that creating
Bender/Alicia day was just a different name for Valentine's Day.
It was designed in a boycott fashion, but
in reality, we created the day from friendship, kindness and love. Isn't that
really what Valentine's Day is about? Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a
romantic kind of day, but if it is full of romance, that's spectacular too. On
February 14th, we can celebrate ourselves, our families, our friends, and a
stranger, the love of our life or the love in the meantime. The day is just
about love.
Regardless if you find the holiday
wonderful, exciting, annoying, sad or a money maker, try to stop this year and
find simple ways to add love into your life. Here are a few suggestions:
1. SELF
LOVE. Do something nice for yourself today. Maybe you love a certain kind
of wine that you normally don't pay for, go buy it. Do something you enjoy, but
don't take the time do often. Relax. Watch a movie that you would enjoy. Go
somewhere.
2. REACH
OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE. Give a gift to your parents and tell them how much
you love them. Reach out to someone you haven't spoken to in a while and say
hello.
3. LOVE
BOMBS. Pay for the car behind you in the drive- thru line. Buy flowers
for someone that helps you. Make cards for your coworkers, letting them know
you appreciate them.
4. MAKE
LOVE COMMITTMENT. Commit to
saying positive things every day to yourself. Stop with the negative talk. We
are beautiful human beings and we should be celebrated for who we are right
now.
5. CELEBRATE
LIFE. Go out with friends and celebrate being alive, celebrate being loved,
celebrate being healthy.
6. SEND
LOVE TO EVERYONE!
Open up your hearts this Valentine's Day
and just celebrate the most important emotion. LOVE.
