Happy Valentine’s Day . . . to Me!

Wait. What? I can hear the responses right now. But Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about your love for others. Your sweetheart. Your main squeeze. Your kids. Parents. Friend. Co-workers. Anyone else. But not me.

I know. I got the memo a long time ago. I internalized this message that I could love others but not myself. I have allowed my inner critic to flourish. I have obsessed over perceived flaws, imperfections, and a deeply felt belief that I am never enough. I have held myself to a standard that I would never even dream of applying to someone I loved.  Those I love are beautiful. Magnificent! Perfect incarnations of the divine and worthy of the deepest goodness life and this earth have to offer. Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you beautiful people.

And Happy Valentine’s Day to Me! Because today I commit to the same love for myself that I extend to others. Because today I fully embrace my own beauty and worth and say out loud for you all to hear that I deeply love and respect myself. Because today I claim that I am worthy of the deepest goodness life and this earth have to offer. Because today I put down that double standard and choose to hold myself as a whole, complete, perfectly formed being.

Go ahead. Try it. What would it look like if you did it, too? What if we all did? What if we all loved ourselves as much as we love others? What if we all set down this cultural narrative that says we can talk about our perceived flaws and imperfections but does not allow us to claim our beauty? What if instead we choose love? Love for ourselves? How would the world be different? How would we be different?

So Happy Valentine’s Day to you . . . and to me. May you receive all the love you deserve. This day and every day. Especially from the most important person. You!