Valentine’s Day is all about hearts, flowers, and true love.

Or is it? For many people, it is just a day to feel bad about not getting flowers, not enjoying true love.

 So, allow me to propose a better idea. How about making Valentine’s Day a day in which you love yourself and those who care for and support you. Embrace love that affirms, encourages, strengthens.

Maybe it is love for a spouse or significant other. Wonderful! But it could be love for a friend or therapist who helps you get through tough times. It might be a deep appreciation for health workers who have taken care of you. It might be love for a pastor or Bible study leader who helped you gain a new understanding of God’s boundless love for you.

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:24

Christian author Jen Hatmaker speaks of possessing love that lasts. God’s love for you never fails. Likewise, you have people in your life who love you and will stand by you. This is the love that sustains.

You can hug yourself and celebrate how far you have come in the past year. How you have weathered difficult moments, days, months. Goodness knows the past two years have been challenging.

For those who experience anxiety or depression or some other diagnosis, we “should show ourselves gratitude for making it through another day” while living with mental illness,” wrote Robin L. Flanigan with bphope. “For taking deep breaths when we feel anxious, for fact-checking our worst-case-scenario thoughts, and for writing through our pain.”

I am fond of flowers and have been known to buy myself a pot of tulips because that makes me smile. You can write yourself a love note. Hugs may still not be ok for you, but you can call a friend, have a sidewalk chat with a neighbor, plan a Galentine’s Day celebration with a friend.

Make yourself feel special because you are!