Choose to Love Yourself this Valentine’s Day

What do you choose to be?
Image: AliEdwards.com

We choose to feel love, peace, happiness, tranquility. It’s a choice. Many times, it’s easier to make the opposite choice—choose to feel hate, anger, sadness, stress. Our lives demand a lot of us, and making that extra effort to overcome frustration and upset can often seem like too big of a barrier to overcome.

But it’s not. I promise you, it’s not.

We’re coming up on Valentine’s Day, Hallmark holiday that celebrates love—but perhaps moreso, the sale of chocolates, roses, and candy. Couples will enjoy fine dining lit by candles. Love songs will play on the radio. Stores will look like a Pepto Bismol factory exploded all over them. Lovebirds will smooch in the streets. Haters will hate, rolling their eyes at the entire affair.

But as overwhelming as all that can be, I think this holiday could be put to good use if we all tried just one thing: loving ourselves.

If we can’t do that, how can we ever truly love or receive love from others? Love is a completely vulnerable state—we lay ourselves bare from others, showing them all of us (not just the parts we like) and ask them to do the same.

Pulling away from that vulnerability, no matter how slightly, builds the foundation for a wall—one that will keep us from truly loving others and letting them in.

Love yourself.
Image: Shutterstock

Loving ourselves isn’t something to achieve and then walk away from—it’s an active process and something that we should do every day. In an article for the Huffington Post, Mary Pritchard gives some great advice for loving yourself even if you have no idea where to start.

“Spend some time each day taking care of you, showing yourself love and appreciation for all you do,” she writes. “That is, do something that makes your soul sing—something just for you. Don’t take the kids with you. Don’t invite your significant other. This is YOU time.”

Choose to love yourself this Valentine’s Day. I promise, you won’t regret it.

Choose.

Have a Happy, Healthy Valentine’s Day

Try some healthy alternatives to the traditional sugary candy.
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Holidays are the death of healthy eating. We’ve developed a habit of wanting to celebrate by eating sugary, fatty, unhealthy food—under the assumption that if it tastes good, it must not be good for you. Wrong! Some of my favorite foods are also incredibly healthy. Consider these fun Valentine’s Day themed food treats this year as an alternative to the traditional candy and sugar overload:

Smooties: Combine your favorite berries with yogurt to make a healthy treat. If it’s ice cream you’re craving, use frozen berries!

Fruit Bars: Blend together strawberries and bananas, then freeze them onto popsicle sticks. Give it a few hours, and then you’ll have a fresh, frozen treat!

Chocolate avocado pudding is healthy and sweet!
Image from wholefoodsmarket.com

Fruit Kabobs: Pick out three or four of your favorite pink and red fruits, then cut them up and make kabobs out of them. If you’re feeling really indulgent, get some pure dark chocolate and melt it for dipping sauce.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding: Sounds strange, but I’ve heard nothing but good things. This recipe calls for avocado, banana, cocoa powder, dates, and vanilla extract—that’s it! Top with a few raspberries or strawberries to brighten it up.

Watermelon Hearts: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut watermelon into tiny hearts or use a paring knife to do the same to strawberries. Serve with a tiny bit of fresh whipping cream.

Watermelon hearts are cute and healthy!
Image: Shutterstock

Tomato Tarts: If you want something a bit more savory, try these heart-shaped tomato tarts. All you need is puff pastry, Dijon mustard, and tomatoes.

Love Day Punch: To avoid sugary drinks, try making a healthier version using cranberry juice and seltzer water. You can even make heart-shaped ice cubes using pink lemonade or add fresh fruit.

Do you have any other healthy Valentine’s Day treats you’ll be trying at home this year? I plan on making the chocolate avocado pudding, hands down. If you have any other ideas or recipes, please feel free to share them here! Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!