Love Yourself

I realize that a day like today (Valentine’s Day) can be triggering for a lot of people, whether you are in a romantic partnership or not. For years we’ve been programmed to think that unless we get some sort of flowers or candy sent to us today that we are less than. Somehow a dozen red roses from the convenience store and a heart shaped box of Russel Stover chocolates equals love. WTH?!

We’ve placed so much emphasis on this day that we lose sight of the other 364 days that we are called to show up to with love, and not just for our partners (if we are fortunate enough to have found someone we can tolerate/that can tolerate us), but we are called to show up with love for ourselves.

I hope you woke up today being reminded of just how freaking awesome you are. I hope you remember just how far you’ve come. I hope you love your smile and your personality and that you love yourself for how unbelievably kind you are. I hope you feel all the love in the world from the one person who can lift you as high as the sky. Yourself!

So often we look for a partner to “complete” us (thank you, Jerry McGuire) but we are 100% complete on our own. We are the ones who have to show up to do the work. Every. Single. Day. Whether we are in a partnership or not. We have to recognize the importance of showing up as the best version of ourselves and loving ourselves day in and day out flaws and all. #hiBeyonce

Because if we don’t start by loving ourselves, how will we know how to love someone else? If we don’t start by treating ourselves right, with love and respect, how can we expect someone else to? It starts with us!

So regardless of what you see on Instagram today, please keep doing you. Today is about love, all kinds and every kind of love.

Celebrate the love you have for yourself. Celebrate how far you’ve come being exactly who YOU are and where YOU are. Honor today as a chance to remind yourself of that.

Give yourself a hug, buy yourself some damn chocolate and have the best day ever. Because you’re alive and you deserve nothin but love!