3 Ways to Love Yourself on Valentine’s Day (And Beyond)
I love that Valentine’s Day arrives in the middle of February. Why? Because after a couple months of gray winter weather I’m ready for a huge dose of mood-lifting love. Not just Valentine’s love, but lots of self-care love.
If you’re like me— you like the exhilarating cold and sparkling snow for a few weeks but you’re ready for spring by the end of December—here are a few science-based practices you can use to keep your spirits high until Spring. If you’re one of those lucky people who feel great all year round, or even better in winter, these practices are still worthwhile. (And I envy you just a bit!)
1) Light Therapy
Back in the 1990’s I bought a panel of 10,000 lux lights to soak up the intensity of light (no UV rays) that short winter days just can’t give. As the science of light and healing expanded, so did the types of therapy lights available to consumers. About ten years ago I was introduced to LED lights at a skin clinic, but they were too costly to purchase for at-home use. Nowadays, LED light therapy is available in many convenient forms for home and travel.
The LED light system I use is called DreamSpa[i]. I learned about the DreamSpa from one of my hypnosis instructors and tried a 30-minute session called Blue Calm. A profound feeling of calm descended on me with zero effort. As a practicing meditator and hypnotist, I loved doing absolutely nothing to achieve this state of calm. I also like the red light settings when I want a boost of energy or to feed some healing light to my knees after a long outdoor hike.
After two years of personal use, I became an affiliate so I could offer DreamSpa to others. If you live in the Chicago area, you can book a free 30-minute session to experience how it feels. Email support@drsallystone.com to make an appointment.
2) Bring Nature Home with You
According to research, spending time in nature not only “improves emotional functioning, [but] exposure to natural environments has also been shown to alleviate cognitive fatigue, improve attention, and increase feelings of vitality.” [ii]
I love nature, but with snowstorms, plunging temperatures, icy sidewalks, and short days, walking outside every day isn’t practical.
There’s always a botanic garden, conservatory, or indoor butterfly museum for a nature fix. But that’s not practical on a regular basis either. Instead, I fill my home and office with colorful and fragrant flowers.
I used to think buying flowers was an expensive waste of money. Eventually, I realized that if flowers make me happy and more productive, then they’re worth the investment.
Keeping vases or pots of colorful carnations, daisies, lilies, mums, roses, or blue hydrangeas (my favorite) in your home and/or office space is like inviting angelic nature spirits into your space. Each flower spreads its own sweet energy and brightens up even the grayest day. Setting up vases of flowers are also a great motivator for keeping surrounding spaces clean and bright.
3) Keep the Company of Your Own Heart
When days are gray, it’s good to remember that we each come to this planet with our own light. This light sits in our hearts just waiting for us to notice and let it shine—even on gray days. Our heart-light offers innate happiness no matter what’s going on in our lives.
So take a moment to breathe into your heart and rest for a moment in your own light. Sometimes this light feels tranquil and serene, at other times it shines with joy and beauty. You may even feel like laughing out loud, dancing, or breaking out into song. I know the first time I did this exercise many years ago, unexplained tears of joy welled up in my eyes. Such is the joy in your own heart.
If you have a lot going on in your life and other feelings come up, simply observe and accept them with compassion. Your compassion is just another form of love that can take you through whatever you’re feeling—all the way back to love.
Your heart is your most loyal valentine. It’s there for you on gray days and sunny days 24/7. Enjoy the love on this Valentine’s Day!
heart
härt/
1. A muscle inside the chest that pumps blood throughout the body.
2. The central part of something.
3. To love something (I “heart” flowers.)
