How’s your love life? I’m asking you this because it’s a critical topic for your survival. As Valentine’s day approaches, it’s so much more than flowers and romance. It’s about YOU and what matters.
I’ve been facilitating a course on creativity this month. It requires participants to journal, explore what they love and to plan special “Soul Dates” for themselves each week. We also utilize Emotional Freedom Techniques (also known as EFT or tapping) to more fully love and accept ourselves as creative blocks or uncomfortable feelings emerge.
I go through the process with the group too, taking action and experiencing the ups and downs of life’s precious moments. I love to witness a diverse group of people as they enjoy more fun, share incredible resources, visit new places and learning new things about themselves. I see them changing into the best version of who they are and it’s pretty awesome.
Want to boost those feelings of love and acceptance? Here are just a few easy ways to calm down, love who you are and build more of what you love into your day.
- Try 10 minutes of daily meditation with Insight timer app. Invite a buddy to share this quiet time. Begin with a basic timer meditation. I love the Secret Garden soundtrack that features birdsong, windchimes and the sound of a flowing stream. https://insighttimer.com/
- Send handwritten cards or notes to 5 people you care about or would like to thank.
- Read a book or article about a health topic with someone you love and decide on a small change you can do together. My husband and I have been eating more blueberries and making walks a priority even when it’s very cold thanks to reading Keep Sharp by neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta MD.
- Visit new places. Even during a pandemic, you can find new parks and neighborhoods to explore on foot. Our local Metroparks even has a contest and free hikes guided by naturalists to keep us motivated. https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/parks/calendar
- Let music take you up. Put on some old records or create a playlist of your favorite songs. Dance to today’s hits with Jazzercise.com. My new happy dance is the song Love is Religion by Dua Lipa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tixwDHy4U78
- Feed squirrels and watch them devour the bounty
- Make natural sun catchers by freezing water with greens and seeds and hang in trees outside your window. Enjoy watching them melt as spring arrives.
- Listen to an audiobook or a podcast while you walk or drive. You can now listen to The Comeback on Audible. Check out the special offer here.
- Write about your favorite lifetime memories. A great resource is storyworth.com, a wonderful online support system for helping anyone create a book containing their life story. I gifted this to my dad and husband in honor of Valentine’s Day.
- Make a list of 20 things you loved as an 8 year old. Pick one and just do it.
- What kinds of topics are you always drawn to? Read for fun or watch a movie about something you love.
Take time to love and accept yourself just as you are. There’s no need to make any huge changes. You are worthy of love and it’s time to begin experimenting the many ways it exists and connects with the world around you.
