Be Your Best Valentine

My boys have always scoffed at Valentine's Day, calling it a "made up" holiday or a Hallmark made day.  Such cynical boys I have!  Maybe this is the way you feel.  Or maybe you are the world's biggest romantic and love all the hearts, chocolate and flowers typical of the day of love.  I'm not here to talk to you about romantic love, (thank goodness!) but about giving yourself a little love.One of the biggest focuses for health and wellness in 2018 is the idea of self-care.  In fact, self-care has gotten to be a huge buzz word, and it's one buzz word that I think we need to grab hold of.  This is an important piece of our health and wellness that may have been ignored for far too long.I know that the majority of my readers are women, so in this moment I am speaking to the women out there.  You women wear several hats - you are a hard working employee, daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, volunteer, and all of the roles that lie within those roles.  You may be a young woman  knee deep in building her career, a young mom knee deep in diapers, while keeping your home or working outside the home, a mom juggling children and their ridiculous schedules, keeping up with the mounds of laundry and meals and bills and taking the dog to the vet and calling your mom and volunteering in all of your spare time.  Perhaps you are getting back to work after a bit of time off with your children, or you have older children who are driving and applying for colleges, or maybe you have finally gotten that empty nest but find your schedule still overloaded.  Just thinking of all of the roles you all are playing is exhausting to me!Enough already.  Health is not just what you are eating and exercising.  That will only take you so far and then you will still be missing a very important chunk to be your healthiest.  The third part is the taking care of you for your own health and happiness.  I've said before that happiness is a choice we all have to make every single day.  It isn't something just handed to you on a platter or guaranteed.You have the choice to take care of yourself so you will be the happiest and healthiest you can be on any given day.  Basically, if you are NOT making choices to take care of yourself then you are likely making choices that are not good for you.  What is good for you and will make you a happier,  healthier person may look different to different people.What can you do to take care of you?  As Valentine's Day approaches I want you to think about ways you can create space to be your own best Valentine.  Show love to yourself.  This may be hard for some of you who are so engulfed in taking care of everyone else.I am not saying you all have to go on some weeklong retreat at a spa in the jungle, although that would be like heaven.  I'm saying consider some thing  you miss.  If you had thirty minutes a couple of days a week, what would you do?  What gives you peace on a daily basis?  What makes your heart happy?  I have some small things that I do on a daily or regular basis that I know are good for me.  These intentional habits are a bit of self-care that simply help me have a better day.  These are not big, time-consuming things.  They are as simple as getting up a little earlier to have quiet time.  Drinking lots of water.  Keeping up group texts with good girlfriends that make me laugh.  Listening to a good book while I walk the dog.  Making time to be a little creative.  Getting outside when the weather cooperates is always a good booster.  Of course, getting exercise and eating healthy foods is taking care of yourself, too.  It is a way of putting yourself right up there with all the other people, things, pets and projects you are taking care of.  It is not selfish to take care of yourself.Taking care of yourself and adding some intentional habits to your routine will help round out your healthy balanced lifestyle.  That is one way you can make sure you will be around to continue to juggle all of the things you want to from today and on.So, on this Valentine's think of ways to show yourself some love and be your own best Valentine.Enjoy Your Day!**This goes right into what makes my Better & Beyond Program MORE than just a diet and exercise program.  We began Prep Week Yesterday and I've had a couple of inquiries.  SOOOO, there are two spots open if you want to snag one and promise to play catch up on the info!