by Kaitlyn S.
What started out as a day to show your partner your love and affection has turned into a month-long commercial holiday occupied with consumerism, where the goal is to buy that special someone the largest teddy bear, the most roses, or the shiniest jewelry. It’s a time obsessed with publicly displaying how much you love each other. Where the pressure to post on social media is intense – if you don’t post, you must not really love them,which is completely not true. Valentine’s day or through this month shouldn’t be the only time of the year you show your love to those in your life.
Valentine’s month should stand as a reminder of the important relationships in your life, be it a significant other, friends, family, your pets or your plants, and the relationship you have with yourself. I suggest taking the day to appreciate love, whichever form that takes in your life, and remember not to limit all your love to just this time.
Self-love and nurturing the relationship you have with yourself is so important. One way to help develop the love in your life is through understanding your love language. Love languages help to describe how people receive and express love. Knowing yours and those of your important relationships can help you both feel loved, cared for, and appreciated. If you are curious to learn more about love languages, this is a great resource: What are The 5 Love Languages?.
I like to think about the 5 love languages like this:
- Acts of service: I made you a burrito.
- Receiving gifts: Here’s a burrito.
- Quality time: Let’s go get a burrito together.
- Words of affirmation: This is a good burrito.
- Physical touch: Arms wrapped around a person in a warm hug, like a burrito.
There shouldn’t be so much pressure surrounding this month. If it’s not perfect like in the movies or on TV, that’s okay. Personally, my love language is quality time* – so I’ll be sure to grab a coffee or meal with one of the important people in my life, take my fur baby on an extra-long walk, and spend some time by myself reading (one of my favorite hobbies). Whether you are doing something special or it’s just another 24 hours in February, be kind to yourself on Valentine’s Day.
