By Amy Leigh Mercree
I’m sure you’ve heard all of the varying opinions on V-Day: consumerism gone mad, schmaltzy holiday for romantics, obligatory flowers and chocolates day, and even an exciting chance to spend time with the one you love. What if we let those opinions float to the side and chose to completely reboot our lives this Valentine’s Day? What if we did a total Valentine’s Day Reboot?
This February, let’s do a complete 180! Let’s reclaim Valentine’s Day as a true celebration of love in all of its forms. Cause as the saying goes, “Love is all around us.” Make a commitment today to see and experience love at least once per hour. Try it for a day. Notice the love with which a co-worker holds the door for you with a smile. Notice the love between the couple in the car next to you that kisses at the stoplight. Notice people connecting with each other. Notice caring in action all around. Put your focus on love and change your life. I dare you.
Look for the truth and authenticity in love. Judgments aren’t truths. Self consciousness is not truth. Wanting to act and appear a certain way because of social decorum is not necessarily truth. These are all born of fear and insecurity. Fear is the opposite of love, and you can flip your fears on their head and turn them into love. Insecurity is being scared of your authentic self. It is the belief that your true, authentic self is not as magnificent as it actually is. Flip that insecurity on its head and do something totally gutsy, totally loving and feel the relief in that. Share your true feelings. Express your love for family, friends, pets and life.
Let life revive you with spiritual and emotional CPR this month. Sometimes people come into your life for just that reason. We meet those soul-connected people at the perfect times. Whether it’s the friend who you get together with who renewed your faith in the opposite gender because he is decent and kind, or she honest and caring. Or it is the boss who believes in you and gives you a chance to leap into the big leagues because of your creativity. It could even be the loving dog who snuggles you and licks your face because she is so happy to see you every single time you come home.
We’re emotional beings. When we embrace this we can open to deeper experiences of love and connection and literally enhance our quality of life. Our connections and the love they are made of may even be part of why we are here. These connections might help us solve our existential crises, and learn to be present to the amazing blessing of being here on Earth among billions of our other souls as an interconnected web of love — because in the end we are all one. And what if Valentine’s Day could be about that – about love and its endless expression?
What better way to celebrate authentic love than to give it? Make a list of five ways you can share your love with others today. The more you give, the more love flows back to you. The more you share, the more you reap. The more you choose to live love, the better and more pleasurable life you will lead. Try it today. And ruminate (wink) on these words to start your reboot:
Love came,
and became like blood in my body.
It rushed through my veins and
encircled my heart.
Everywhere I looked,
I saw one thing.
Love’s name written
on my limbs,
on my left palm,
on my forehead,
on the back of my neck,
on my right big toe…
Oh, my friend,
all that you see of me
is just a shell,
and the rest belongs to love.
Rumi poem from Shahram Shiva’s book
Hush Don’t Say Anything to God: Passionate Poems of Rumi
(Jain Publishing)
Amy Leigh Mercree is an expert dating & relationship coach, entrepreneur, adventure guide and author of “The Spiritual Girl’s Guide to Dating: Your Enlightened Path to Love, Sex, and Soul Mates.” Visit her adventure travel site, www.LoveSeaVacations.com for eco & dolphin travel fun and visit www.SpiritualGirlsGuide.com for your complete conscious dater’s toolkit.