Today is Valentine’s Day and it has become a “Hallmark Holiday” that focuses on romance, hearts, chocolate and flowers. Love and romance are idealized in ways that some people experience and many don’t ~ and we can be swayed by all this messaging to think there’s something to strive for and then we’ll know true love and be endlessly happy.

Rather than give you ways to be romantic with your sweetheart (if you have one), this article is about loving you. After all, you are your lifetime partner and this is your primary relationship. It’s you who is the source of your experience of love in your life. So many of us look outside ourselves to feel fulfilled in love. What if you knew that you loving you is the place where it all begins and ends?

Just for today, try on loving you the way you imagine experiencing perfect love with your mate. Can you let yourself go and adore you? What are the ways that you feel loved? How can you give them to yourself?

Maybe it is flowers and chocolate, or going out for a romantic dinner. Maybe it’s receiving a long-awaited marriage proposal or a special piece of jewelry. What do all these things symbolize to you? I believe that underneath these things, we all want to feel a deep emotional connection, to be seen and accepted just as we are, to be celebrated and loved just because we’re adorable and lovable.

You’ve probably heard the term “it’s an inside job.” This means that it’s about how you are with yourself. What does it take for you to be deeply connected to your own heart? When you look into your eyes in the mirror, do you really look and see your own unique beauty? Do you really get how precious and perfect you are, just as you are?

Treat yourself like the best Valentine ever today.  Sit for a moment with your eyes closed and ask yourself how you feel most loved. Then give yourself those expressions of love. Allow yourself to receive these gifts and know that you are so loved.

When you are filled up with love, then it’s much easier to see that it’s all around you all the time. I invite you to open your heart to love in all its forms and to drink deeply from the cup of love.

Here’s the bottom line ~ every day can be Valentine’s Day when you love yourself fully. Here’s to you loving you!