For many of us, Valentine's Day is primarily about receiving beautiful bouquets, yummy chocolates and romantic dinners over candlelight with Luther crooning in the background. While this may be the expectation or ideal scenario for how you'll spend your time today, consider these alternatives and/or inclusions for ways you can start a revolution of self love today and every day.
1. Forgive Yourself
Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to turn the love inward and let go of your negative, limiting thoughts about what you did or didn't do "right" in your life. Love relationships that didn't work out. Opportunities that you didn't pursue. Friendships that have dried up. Decisions that you make daily and constantly beat yourself up about. Whatever your "thing" is, let it go so you can grow.
Start by writing a letter to yourself listing everything that makes you feel weighed down, incomplete and unworthy. Put it on the paper. Then read it out loud. Read it again. Now burn it! Yep, you read it correctly. Burn the letter in a safe, controlled environment like your fireplace.
Penning and pouring your pain onto the pages of the letter is a way for you to transfer the negative energy you've been holding on to. Burning the letter is a way for you to release that pain and clear a space for healing and new growth.
When your self-defeating thoughts return (and they will), replace them with a new, positive thought or affirmation. Train yourself to speak, think and visualize only those things that will serve your future, not keep you chained to your past.
2. Love Yourself
We are all imperfect people, living in a world that constantly holds us to an ever-changing standard of perfectionism. There is a "standard" for beauty, success, intelligence, relationships, family - you name it and someone else has defined their perception of excellence for it.
I implore you to cover your ears and open your eyes to the beautifully blessed gift that is you. Yes Y-O-U as you are, in this very moment. You my dear are royalty and it's time for you to claim your crown and wear it with confidence, unapologetically.
Start by acknowledging and embracing all the nuances that make you unique and special. From the way you belt out a belly laugh to the way you dance off-beat to your favorite tunes. These are the things that make you so special.
On post-it notes, write ordinary and extraordinary things about yourself and post them all over your bathroom mirror, office window or vision board. Examples could be "I am determined", "I am generous", "I have the cutest dimples in the world", "I love the way my hair grows towards the sun" - get the picture?
Constantly releasing these positive thoughts around who you are allows the Universe to respond in kind and send you even more of it. These acts of self love and affirmation well be reflected in different areas of your life and manifest blessings you didn't even know were waiting for you.
3. Love Your Environment
We've all walked past a coffee shop and instantly felt like we were being pulled in by a fragrant force that we couldn't control. It also happens everyday when you spray on your power perfume and walk out the door feeling like Beyoncé. When you walk into a luxury spa and feel a blanket of calm and zen or into your grandmother's house and instantly feel loved by the savory scent of the best sweet potato pie on the planet, swirling all around you. These instantaneous reactions to fragrance is the very foundation of aroma wellness.
Aroma wellness is about creating environments in the places you congregate like your home, office, car or work space, that promote an elevated sense of well being, love, positive vibes and good energy through fragrance.
The benefits of aroma wellness are tremendous. It can relieve your stress and anxiety, boost your mood and energy levels, create a cozy and calm energy in your home and help you experience deep and peaceful sleep and relaxation.
Creating an aroma wellness lifestyle starts with a mindset shift around how your environment can help or harm you. It's hard not to understand that the spaces we spend the majority of our lives in, directly impact the quality of our lives.
To create an aroma wellness lifestyle, start by incorporating non-toxic, essential oil-based fragrances into your environments. Create a multi-sensory experience by layering fragrances using different mediums. Here's how to start:
Burn soy candles in your living room, bathrooms, bedrooms and work space (if allowed). The candles will release the essential oils into the room and make it smell amazing while feeling warm and cozy from the glow of the candle light.
Instantly freshen and eliminate odors in your furniture, bedding, closets, curtains or cars with room and linen spray at least once per day.
Place reed diffusers throughout your home to release a constant flow of fragrance. They work especially great in your office, work space, bathrooms, closets, and foyers.
Whichever method you choose, take time this Valentine's Day to create a habit of turning your internal love light on and making the necessary adjustments daily, to keep your love light burning.