Menu
Get Started
Subscribe

Be Your Own Valentine

Jennifer Mulholland & Jeff Shuck
February 14, 2024

The real season of love doesn't just start on February 14th. It's a season that goes on and on all year long. That's if we choose to receive, be, and bring it. 

To love is not always easy, especially during these tumultuous times; to love someone who sees things differently, to love someone who doesn't agree with you, to love someone who may have hurt you, to love someone who is angry, or to love someone who doesn't "get it" (whatever "getting it" means). Harder than that, at times, is the practice of loving ourselves - even on our down days when we wake up in a low mood, wish we would have said something different, or grow impatient and frustrated with how things appear to be working out. 

As human beings, we sometimes make life harder than it needs to be. Love is always an option. Love is always available. Love is always a choice. 

So how do we practice loving others, always? The answer lies in loving ourselves.

You've heard us share the adage "you can't give what you don't have," and it's never been truer than when we apply that concept to love. The grandest invitation to growth is learning to love ourselves no matter how we feel. Practicing self-love when we feel like shit is the way. 

It's easy to turn to tactics and habits that may make us feel temporarily better about loving our whole selves when there are parts we want to change. Tactics and habits do work (sometimes 😉). But the tactics are not the tool. You are! Your greatest tool is the tool you have inside... your heart ❤️. 

Our hearts' capacity to receive and give love is limitless. Not only does it have the ability to hold feelings of love for your spouse, partner, children, family, and friends, but it also has the capacity to love neighbors, strangers, enemies, opposing political parties, disbelievers, and anyone in opposition to you. When we come from love, we create an unconditional space for others to be themselves in the moment, wherever they are and however they are. The same goes for ourselves. Each of us has a choice every day to open or close our hearts to the path of love, and there's no better time than now. 

This season (however long you desire it to be), we encourage you to practice loving yourself as you desire to love another. 

  • How could you speak to yourself with the kindness and care you offer your best friend?
  • How could you soften your expectations and permit yourself to be messy?
  • How could you deepen your love for your body and honor what it is asking you for? 

Only you have the answers. Experiment with what works for you. Listen deeply. Your heart is calling you to unconditional love.

We hope you can give yourself the love you deserve this Valentine's Day.  We've created a guided meditation to help you slow down, look within, and remember that all the love you want and need is right inside of you. We'd love to hear what that looks like to you - post a comment below about what you are doing to be your own Valentine. 

This post was originally published on Feburary 14, 2022. We've updated the content for the new year. 

Be Your Own Valentine Meditation from Plenty Consulting

Valentine's Meditation

You're worth every bit of love you want and need. And you're worth giving it to yourself.

We've created a guided meditation to help you slow down, look within, and remember that all the love you want and need is right inside of you.

Listen Now

Subscribe by Email

No Comments Yet

Let us know what you think