Mindfulness // Valentine's Day Edition
How can you practice mindfulness this Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is a beautiful day to celebrate love in our lives. Whether this love is between you and a significant other, friends, family, yourself, or God, there is something for you to find joy in.
Mindfulness helps us to be present in each moment. It helps us not get distracted, but instead be attentive to our present feelings, thoughts, and to the person in front of us and the space we are in. This practice is often used to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, as it cultivates peace and grounds you connections that are happening in the present moment.
When we are mindful, we tend to be less judgement and are gentle with ourselves and those around us. Practicing mindfulness can benefit both ourselves and our significant others.
Below are 6 ways to practice mindfulness on Valentine’s Day:
1. Romanticize the small moments
Slow down and take in the beauty of every little moment. Pretend like you are in a movie! Light some candles and set the atmosphere with soft music. Even the smallest activities, like a morning kiss, dinner, or an evening walk can be magical moments in each day if you treat them like it.
2. Say what you’re grateful for out loud
Make this a habit between you and your partner! It can be easy to think about what we are grateful for or what we appreciate about our spouse, but we might not think to say them out loud. Sit down and take turns telling each other what things you are grateful for, both little and big. If you don’t have anyone to spend the day with, say them out loud to yourself or call a friend to talk about what you are grateful for. This small practice can make the biggest change in your day!
3. Write a letter
Going old school can be the best way to help us be present and move at a slower speed. Choose a friend or a loved one that you cannot be with on Valentine’s Day and tell them why you love them. You can even spice up your letter by adding some stickers or printing out pictures to go along with it!
4. Stop, breathe, & feel
Sometimes you just need a moment to slow down. If you are on a date and you start feeling overwhelmed or if you are alone and simply trying to get through the day, take a moment to stop what you are doing and take 5 deep breaths. Notice what you can feel around you, whether that be the ground beneath your feet or the jacket keeping you warm. This can help you re-center to the moment and be present with what is in front of you.
5. Have intentional conversations
Asking meaningful questions to cultivate an intentional conversation with your partner can help you both be more attentive to each other. Intentional conversations encourage us to think deeply about our answers and carefully listen to the other person. Some examples of meaningful questions to ask are:
Where have you most seen yourself grow in our relationship in the past year?
What do you most desire in our relationship in the next year?
What have you learned about yourself through our relationship?
In what ways do you like being loved and in what ways do you not?
6. Give a mindful gift
Gift-giving can either be mindless or mindful. Instead of buying some random little things at the store, choose to spend intentional time choosing or making a gift this Valentine’s Day. Often home-made gifts are the ones that people remember the most. They show that you have given thought and effort into loving your partner. When focusing on a gift, you can center your mind on your partner and rid yourself of the distractions around you.
Mindfulness brings you into the here and now. It rids you of comparison, brings positive feelings into your awareness, helps foster gratitude, and can allow you to enjoy this Valentine’s Day more than ever before. Take a deep breath and go into this holiday with stillness in your soul.