Valentine s Day can be rough, whether you re single or partnered up. But this year, we ll take any excuse for something to look forward to. So whether you re celebrating Valentine s Day, Galentine s Day or simply a day off, we re making this weekend an excuse to let our loved ones know we care.
While you might not be able to take your person out for a night on the town this weekend, remember, I love you can take many forms. It might be a long overdue video game night, washing the dishes without being asked, holding someone s hand after a very hard day, or lending an ear when it doesn t really feel like you have the extra ten minutes to spare.
I find I m better more relaxed, generous, compassionate in my relationships when I take care of myself first. When you re unconditional loving towards yourself, it makes it easier to extend that same grace to others. Dear Therapists is a podcast that has helped me gain that deeper, more nuanced perspective on myself and other people. I first learned about it from one of its hosts, Lori Gottlieb, when I interviewed her about a very similar resource: Her book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone . Dear Therapists , like Maybe You Should Talk to Someone lets you step inside actual therapy sessions without going yourself. Gottlieb and her co-host, Guy Winch, record therapy sessions with people who write in about challenges they re facing (affairs, estrangement, stress, etc.). You get to hear the session, and Gottlieb and Winch offer a set of action items the person can take in the next week to improve their situation.
HYGGE
Start the new year off right with some Winter Reads about health, happiness, and Hygge. Hygge is a Danish concept meaning a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.
âAmerican Cozy: Hygge-Inspired Ways to Create Comfort & Happinessâ by Stephanie Pedersen. With overscheduled lifestyles, Americans can t always find time for the people and things they love. Enter American Cozy, which uses the Danish phenomenon of hygge to bring coziness and ease to readers homes, work, and lives.
âThe Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your Peopleâ by Rachel Wilkerson Miller. Miller, senior lifestyle editor at BuzzFeed, defines showing up as the core of creating and maintaining strong meaningful bonds with friends, family, coworkers, and internet pals.