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In February, we celebrate love, partially because Valentine’s Day happens the 14th of the month. Valentine’s Day originated as a Christian feast day honoring the martyr, Saint Valentine.

This day has become a cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

Today, the holiday is about showering your significant other with love and tokens of your affection.

Do you know the Five Languages of Love?

Gary Chapman was a marriage counselor who worked with hundreds of couples. He discovered in his practice that there were five love languages. These languages included: words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, physical touch, and quality time.

These languages are the way people speak and express emotional love. It does not just apply to couples. These love languages align with all types of relationships.

Do you know your love language?

Chapman has written several books on the language of love. We can apply these same principles to emotionally connect in all our relationships. The key is that we should be providing some level of all 5 of these themes in all our relationships. Just because an individual’s language of love is quality time does not mean that you can ignore the other four in your interactions with that person.

How do people celebrate Valentine’s Day?

It is celebrated in numerous ways. Everyone elects different ways to celebrate love with their significant other.

Some will celebrate:

• Giving a card and/or gift
• Giving candy and/or sweet treats
• Giving flowers
• Going out to dinner
• Cooking for each other
• Going to the movies, a show, and/or concert
• Spending time together

Some individuals choose not to celebrate this holiday. Others get engaged or married on this special day.

*How can you be your own Valentine? *

Choose to be your own valentine. Find special ways to love yourself throughout the month. This is the month of Love and everyone could be loving on themselves this month.

What does it mean to love you? People say that we should love ourselves, but what does that really mean? In today’s fast-moving world, we are expected to do more with less. Our lives seem to be filled with appointments, commitments, meetings, to-do lists, and expectations. There never seems to be any moments left for us.

How can we stop and smell the roses? How can we take time to love ourselves? We can choose to love ourselves by slowing down and taking time in our busy day just for us. It is important to be selfish occasionally to honor ourselves and our soul.

I would love to challenge everyone to dedicate one hour a week to be your own valentine and to love yourself.

When have you felt loved in your life? What was happening at that moment? Think about what it means to love you. Remember, the five languages of love that we discussed earlier. It is time that to give yourself permission to love you. You cannot love someone else until you know how to love yourself.

Here is a list of things you can do to love yourself:

• Buy yourself flowers
• Take a slow, hot bath
• Book a day at the spa
• Eat dessert first
• Plan a playdate each month with someone else
• Watch your favorite movie
• Sleep in as late as you want
• Spend time doing something you love
• Check off an item on your “bucket” list
• Spend time with someone you love
• Take a day off and make it about you
• Go for a drive without a destination
• Go to your favorite restaurant and invite someone special
• Plan a weekend getaway on a regular basis
• Volunteer a day or an hour of service

You may have someone special in your life. Or you may be single and unattached. Hold a space of gratitude for love and be your own valentine every February.

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