Dear Self, “Be My Valentine!”. . . . . Love, Me xo
Sometimes celebrating Valentine’s Day can be a struggle, especially if you are not currently in a relationship with that ‘someone special’. That’s OK! In fact, it is more than OK – it can be FABULOUS if you consider embracing the many possibilities it creates.
You can choose to love on the people in your life who bring you joy whether that is a parent, child or other family members. Or maybe Valentine’s season is a great time to hang out with your trusted girlfriends celebrating all things lovely like dark chocolate and bubbles! “Galantine’s” is a trend, but for good reason . . . spending quality time with girlfriends is good for our hearts and our souls!
One really good idea that is so often one of the hardest for us to warp our heads around is using this ‘season of love’ to remember how important it is to love our own self. Yikes! Loving yourself can sound somewhat indulgent or maybe even selfish, but being able to love ourselves truly and authentically is so important. When you love yourself, you not only feel better mentally and physically, but you are more able to open your heart and pour love out to others.
Here are FIVE ideas to show yourself some love this Valentine’s season and how lighting candles can play an important part toward taking care of you. We have even made a few candle suggestions for each love-filled activity.
1. Reserve Time for Meditation/Prayer
Spending quiet time alone is so good for us, especially in a world that is filled with so much noise and activity. Quieting our minds can be quite challenging, so go easy on yourself and try just a few minutes a day until you can stretch it into longer times. We recommend ‘getting salty’ with a float at Revival Float & Wellness in Grass Valley and halotherapy at Prana Salt Lounge in Auburn, CA - two fav local NorCal spots to take in all the health benefits of salt and quiet your mind.
To help quiet your body and mind, we recommend our ‘Be Still’ candle which features beautiful notes of eucalyptus and mint. Another good candle for quiet time is our “Violet Dance’ candle which is a beautiful blend of lavender and white sage. Both of the candles are wonderful for calming our minds so we can rest and connect with the light within us.
2. Create a Sanctuary Place
We all need a place that feels safe and comforting, so creating a sanctuary space in your own home where you can relax is important. For many, this place is the bathroom as so often long showers and soaking baths can allow us a blissful escape. We recommend ‘Fog Bank’ for the bathroom, as it is featured in a beautiful warm grey which is the color of calm. And the scent is truly magical. Another good one for the bathroom is ‘Be Still’ as the eucalyptus and mint blend can transform your bathroom into a spa the minute you light the wick! Ah yes!
Some people feel their kitchen is their sanctuary, and we agree. Our favorite candle for the kitchen is ‘Citrus Kiss’ as the lemon and lemongrass blend is so refreshing and clean. And this ‘sunshine’ candle is featured in brilliant yellow, the color of happiness and features Citrine, the stone of joy! An uplifting and joyful recipe for a sanctuary kitchen!
3. Read a Book and/or Listen to Music
Grab a good book or a favorite vinyl record and let the stories give your rest and relaxation! Allowing your mind to drift to faraway places and use your own imagination to make the stories come to life. Of course, one of our favorite candles for reading time is ‘The Library’ – the smell of leather, cozy fires and old books found tucked away on the shelves waiting to be discovered. If you like the smell of coffee while reading or listening to those sweet tunes, we suggest our sweet, delicious ‘Hazelnut Song’.
4. Go Outdoors
Sometimes the best place to spend time alone is outside in the sunshine, going on walk in the park or just sitting among the trees. For this type of self-time, the best candle to take along ‘Tree Whisper’ – this candle is all about renewal and harmony and it truly enhances all the smells of a beautiful forest. Or if you’d rather head to the beach for self-time by the water, we recommend either ‘Beachwood’ or ‘Sea Stories’. Both of these candles celebrate the positive energy found near the ocean. There are so many benefits to going outside, so be good to you and get out there, breathe fresh air and take in the goodness of the great outdoors!
5. Plan a Vacation
Our lives can get so busy and overwhelming! Planning time away is key to ensuring we have time to play, rest and recharge. Create a bucket list for yourself and then create space to plan and make it happen. Whether it is a planned retreat (we recommend ‘Recharge the Soul’ all inclusive retreats for women) or a fabulous music festival cruise (we recommend ‘The Rock Boat’ hosted by Sister Hazel and offered by Sixthman) or some other fabulous adventure, be sure you have time away on the calendar. To help inspire you to pack your suitcase, we suggest our tantalizing ‘Luscious Lime’ candle as it is truly like a ‘vacation in a can’ if you burn our travel tin or ‘vacation in a glass’ if you burn our bigger 10-ounce glass vessel candle. Oh, and ‘Coral Garden’ is another fabulous candle for creating that vacation mindset. Either way, light a candle and be ready to start planning your well-deserved vacation!
