Why I Love Valentine's Day

With a tendency towards the romantic (writing songs, poems and constantly wearing my heart on my sleeve), you may imagine that the only reason I love Valentine’s Day is because the world seems as love sick as me. But the real reason I love it- or at least the one I want to focus on today, is that Valentine’s Day teaches us one way to do life.

Valentine’s Day is a perfect reminder that we can choose to make a big deal of important things (like love!) whenever we choose. Isn’t it magical that just by allocating a day to celebrate relationships, more people give to their loved one, offer gestures- many of which cost no money, make little special moments and ultimately experience more smiles and that happy buzz that accompanies many of us throughout the day? Even for those not in ‘romantic relationships’, romance becomes possible between friends and family members who look to show their affection in deliberate and grander ways.

So knowing that all it takes is a simple decision- to name a date and act in accordance with the values it promotes, it makes me wonder how we can do this more often. One way is to DECIDE to make little moments special. Even the nice things we do for others (because we are nice!) or the sweet routines we have scheduled (like ‘Date night’) can take on an elevated level of importance if we make it so.

I  am conflicted here, lovers. I believe that looking forward to something makes the journey special, but can potentially leave people underwhelmed if the reality doesn’t match the hype. No expectations= no disappointment. And I also know that where our energy goes, results show, and so by choosing to make a moment special, it is far more likely to be.

Can you put more Valentine’s Days into your life? Many of you are already super romantic and show your love often. So where could you make a big deal of this exchange of love? It may be in the attitude you bring to making you and your partner dinner. I enjoy the process a lot more when I add finishing touches, secret ingredients and anticipate the relief and happiness my husband may feel when (following a hug from our dog and a kiss from me), he sits down to a meal made with love. It is a vastly different experience to just throwing something together because ‘I’m the one who gets home early’.

In our platonic relationships, it’s cute to have ‘lady dates’, ‘bro dates’ or ‘sister dates’. See how just by allocating a ‘date’ it is all the more special? As much as we value our friendships, allowing ourselves to feel excitement as we anticipate time especially set aside for our loved ones, honours our loved ones thrice-fold. It takes the quiet knowing of love, the one that sits in our bones, and allows it to radiate through our skin, exciting us and making our feelings felt! I know that I will be having more of these ‘dates’ from now on.

But the principle of ‘making a big deal of things we take for granted’ extends to other facets of our lives. Whilst Christmas has unofficially transmuted into a day for celebrating family, we certainly could use more days where we seek out deep family bonding.

We can have days where we honour the history of our sport, spend a week writing thank you letters to people who inspire us, allocate a period of time every month where we retreat into nature just to show our wonder and gratitude for its magic.

When we choose to make something a big deal, it becomes so.

And that is why I love Valentine’s Day. Because it is a perfect reminder that when we focus on love, we feel it even more. And that when we design time in honour of something meaningful, we have a more spectacular experience of it.

I wish you grand love, all-types, wherever you are this Valentine’s Day. And I invite you to consider and share how you can make a big-deal of the little things that make the world a better place. 

Because it’s fun.

And life should be celebrated.