I try to ignore the naysayers who think it’s a sappy Hallmark holiday designed to get people to buy fancy cards, too much chocolate and highly overpriced roses and I prefer to embrace a broader interpretation of Valentine’s Day and say that it’s about celebrating love of ALL kinds.
And if you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I believe all good relationships with others begin by having a good relationship with yourself.
Just as you nurture your relationships with your children, your spouse, your parents, your friends, your coworkers, your boss, your clients, your neighbors… You have to intentionally nurture your relationship with yourself.
But life gets busy, and we often don’t take time to do that. So I’m going to suggest that this week, you block off some time in your calendar to do something just for you.
Read below for a few ideas…
1. Declutter. OK, so it doesn’t sound very sexy, but the truth is, getting rid of your clutter is one of the kindest things you can for yourself. It’s liberating, it’s inspiring AND you will start breathing easier right away. Yep, I admit it. I’ve fallen under the spell of Marie Kondo, too. I originally bought her book when it was first released a few years ago, but it didn’t speak to me at the time. I did watch her first episode on Netflix a few weeks ago, and was inspired to tackle my office. What a difference! Where will you begin your decluttering adventures?
2. Read. Anything, but preferably fiction! It transports you to an alternate reality, helps you to learn about people and places different from you, you develop empathy for the characters in your novel, and sometimes you even learn new perspectives on problem-solving that you can apply to your everyday life! Two novels that I have thoroughly enjoyed this past month are Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. (If you’re a regular reader, I’d love for you to hit “reply” and tell me what you recommend. I’m always looking for a good novel!)
3. Go outside. You’ve heard me say this before, but there is no better balancer than Mother Nature. Whether it’s stepping into your backyard and walking in the grass on your bare feet or taking a hike in the mountains or spending a lazy day at the beach, let the natural rhythms of the outdoors rebalance your system. If you only have 15 minutes or an hour, take it. If you can schedule a day or a weekend outside, even better! So where are you going to go first?
4. Seek support. Whether you need practical strategic support from (Ahem!) a business coach, inspiring wisdom from an (Ahem!) intuitive coach or you need to get guidance from your therapist on a particular issue, it’s always valuable to seek external input from trusted sources. And sometimes, just calling your mom, having lunch with a valued confidante or gathering a group of friends together is just as good (or better) than any coaching or therapy ever could be!
5. Indulge in Little Luxuries. A little luxury goes along way. Especially if you have Marie Kondo-ed your life, perhaps you can treat yourself to something special. Get rid of the five cheap purses that you have, and invest in one nice one. Instead of grabbing sushi at the local grocery store for lunch every day, treat yourself to a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant. Recycle your yellow lined legal pads and treat yourself to a beautifully designed journal – PaperBlanks are my favorite. Or do something more mundane and go buy yourself new underwear! I just did that a few weeks ago and it made me so happy. It’s one of those things that I just never get around to buying… underwear, bras and socks. They are foundational elements and when we feel good underneath, we sparkle more on the outside! What little luxury will you treat yourself to this week?
Sending you lots of love this Valentine’s month with a reminder to do something just for you!
Elizabeth