Valentine’s day can be memorable, or it can fall short. Our expectation of what we think the day is what disappoints us. It is not necessarily the loved ones in our lives. Today, consider not what others can do to make the day special, but what you can do to make a great day.
This is my first valentine’s day in 17 years without someone special. What I can do for myself is top of mind. I want to love and care for myself today. My happiness starts within, and as a result, I have identified four areas where I can act to make today the best day possible. The focus areas include relationship connections, a healthy body, expression of self-care, and an activity to bring joy. These areas may spark you as well. How can you show yourself greater love today?
Relationships Connection
As I write this blog, it is more than a week before valentine’s day. I have been keeping up on my New Year’s Checklist. Each morning I do a daily reading from my book, A Year of Self-Care from Dr. Zoe Shaw.” This morning, Dr. Zoe suggested I pick up the phone and connect with someone in my life who I know I should call, and I have not gotten around to. Her words were, “cultivate that relationship today.” As the day went on, I thought of several people I wanted to talk to. I called an aunt, a cousin, and my brother. All the individuals on the list bring positive influences on my life. My day was better for it. This simple act did not take more than an hour, and it made my life richer and furthered my relationship connection with important people in my life. Today, I will call another aunt and a good friend of mine.
Who haven’t you spoken to in a while? What relationship do you want to cultivate today? This relationship connection may make your day.
A Healthy Body
A top priority is my health. I take steps to keep my fitness up. I eat clean by limiting processed foods, exercising daily, and intake recommended water. Most days, I am firm on all three of these efforts. The one-step I most often should be the easiest. Nevertheless, the recommended water intake is tricky for me to meet. Standard references to the amount of water to intake each day can range to a simple suggestion of eight glasses a day or half your body weight in ounces. These are good guidelines. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256 I have a 20-ounce swell bottle. I am taking it to work and striving to fill it up and drink it three times today. Water is the one thing I believe I can accomplish today.
What is the one thing you can do to augment your health today?
Expression of Self-Love
Each morning after I read my daily reading, I journal in my gratitude notebook. Most days, the gratitude notebook is blank, and it is up to me to write whatever I choose. Occasionally, the pages of the notebook offer a prompt. A recent prompt was, “make a list of the things you like about yourself.” When was the last time you did that? I do not make a habit of writing about what I like about myself, but today I will write about the things I love about myself.
Things I love about myself
- My ambition is to try new things.
- My courage to say I deserve better.
- My commitment to my girls.
- My zest to have good honest laughter and fun.
- My work ethic.
- My spirit for learning.
What do you love about yourself? Make a list and consider putting it in a place where you can see it every day.
Joyful Activities
I have talked about XAbeat in in the past. It is one of my favorite activities and involves cardio exercise through dance and strength building. I love it because anyone, including me, without formal dance training, can do it. As I mentioned last week, synchronized movement with others can boost your overall wellbeing. I am a happier person because I have XAbeat in my life. This coming weekend I am attending an Inspirator (a XAbeat instructor). The training is two hours away. I am making a three-day weekend out of it to have unrushed time to learn more about something that brings me joy.
What activity would bring you greater joy today? If not today, what can you plan for yourself to do in the future?
Today is a day of love for me, no matter my circumstances. I am grateful for my relationships, my health, the person I am, and the activities that fill my life. Love starts within, and each day I wake up loving myself more. I hope that for you as well. What can you do today in relationships, health, an expression of love, and joyful activities to bring greater fulfillment to your day and life? What areas of life spark love within yourself? I would love to hear about it. I encourage you to leave a comment to expand the list of things you can do to make your life more fulfilling.
This brings me to today’s Star Stunning realizations:
- A supporting voice is a phone call away. I often put off calling essential people in my life. I have the intention to contact them on a specific day; I say to myself, I will do it later, and before you know it, the day is over, and it is too late. Text messaging has made it too easy to be passive in our interactions. It is a way to connect but hearing someone’s voice and having an actual dialog is richer. Whose voice would you like to hear today? Give them a call. You do not need a reason other than I just wanted to listen to your voice and see how you are today.
- Start with a simple act to improve your health. Health may improve longevity; I hope this is the case for you. More importantly, it can help you feel better today. Living life one day at a time is all anyone can do. What is the one thing you can do to improve your health today? Is it a healthy salad, a 30-minute walk, or eight glasses of water? Choose what works for you.
- Positive thoughts yield positive results. Negative messages can saturate my day. At times it can feel like nothing I do is good enough. The messages can come from my work, the kids’ school, my family, and worst of all, my mind. Of the forces I listed, the only one I can effectively change is my mind. This statement is true for you as well. Choose positivity for yourself and boost yourself to move away from negative messages. There are so many things that I love about you. What do you love about yourself?
- Physical activity brings joy. My favorite activities include dancing, ice skating, skiing, barre routines, and walking. What activities do you enjoy? Is there one that you could do today? If not today, could you schedule a time when you can do one of your favorite activities soon?
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