My Valentine for You

You know, I used to hate the month of February. I've been happily married for nearly 14 years now, but I've always hated Valentines Day, regardless of if I was single or with someone.

As a singleton I felt like a glaring spotlight was shining on my singleness. My married friends either tried to set me up or looked at me with a certain pity and condescension (at least I thought they did). And when I was dating someone and eventually got married, I worried that my partner would feel pressured to do something romantic on a day I saw as commercialized nonsense. All the tacky red and pink decorations and overpriced prix fixe menus still make me gag a little.

But I noticed a shift in my attitude several years ago. The more I cultivated self-respect and self-love, the less all that cheezy Valentine shit bothered me.

You see I only started taking care of my body intentionally about 11 years ago, and it wasn't until about 8 years ago that I first developed a true sense of appreciation for my body and myself as a whole. Now, that doesn't mean I looked in the mirror one morning and loved everything about my body and thought I was the coolest person on earth, but I did see something different that I wasn't able to see in my younger years.

Through the process of caring for and treating my body with respect, I was able to enjoy it more and be grateful for all that my body enabled me to do instead of seeing only the flaws and imperfections. I finally started seeing myself as a whole person whose value did not lie in a number on the scale or a clothing size. I saw myself as someone who had so much more to offer the world than being sufficiently decorative.

I still find V Day a bit cheezy, but now I choose to dismiss the commercialized red-foiled nonsense and celebrate February as a month dedicated to love in all of its many shapes and forms.

This year I invite you to join me on the path to self appreciation. Self-love takes time and for many of us it's a long way off from our current state of mind. But as Lao Tzu says, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step," and I've created a FREE 30-day challenge to help you get started.

In this FREE 30-day challenge you'll receive a short email each day with words of encouragement, or simple practices and meditations to help you shift your mindset and inner dialogue.

By taking small steps towards self-acceptance you can take back your power and find more joy and fulfillment in your life.

I hope you'll join me for 30 days of embracing your unique and wonderful body!