Take Care of Yourself, Valentine

With Valentine's Day coming up this week, I am seeing chocolate hearts and candies everywhere.  I can assure you, they are capturing my attention.  In years past, I used to get big velvet boxes of chocolates from fancy candy stores.  I would eat those treats all day long starting at breakfast with my coffee.  In fact, I have a collection of velvet Valentine heart boxes, but they now Valentine cards from my girls.  

In the past, holidays or special occasions might have meant big eating with lots of sugary desserts. But now, on our path to improved health, wellness and vitality, we have to rethink our "traditions" and discover more modern ways to celebrate.  At this point, I can honestly say that I do not want anyone bringing me a big velvet chocolate box on Valentine's Day.  I know I can't be trusted, and I truly do not want to go off track.  I would much prefer a treat that doesn't force me to "work" to enjoy it.  I have my sweetheart trained.  He knows not to bring me sweets.  We are having a nice dinner out and going to a play.  Now, that I can manage and enjoy and feel "treated."  Flowers, cards, time alone, a massage--these are all ways to mark this holiday without breaking the points bank and filling yourself with regret.

Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in the world where the healthier option was the default option.  The healthier choice was a big basket of ruby red strawberries with a little dark chocolate dipping sauce instead of what we normally see everywhere we go.  It certainly would make all of our lives easier. Until then, we have to arrange our lives so that the healthier option is most often the obvious option. It's a work in progress.  We are hard-wired to like sweets from birth.   But, if we are taking really good care of ourselves, we have a reason, a reason to not eat so many treats.  We have a reason to stay on track.  We have a reason to find a healthier or alternative substitute to a big chocolate heart. In doing so, we might just train ourselves to get satisfied with a small one.  For someone like me, a chocoholic since I was a kid, to say that tells me it can be done.

Take care of yourself this Valentine's Day.  Treat yourself this Valentine's Day.  Be sure to celebrate the loves in your life.  Be sure to treasure what matters most.  And, if now is the time, rethink your ideas about a Valentine treat, even if you just downsize the velvet box.