Wishful Wednesday: Valentine's Edition

     I decided to take a break from my usual "Wishful Wednesday" collages and instead wish everyone a very happy Valentine's Day. February 14th is a holiday with a lot of mixed emotions for a lot of people.  While I've never exactly gotten a bouquet of roses, I also haven't had to spend very many Valentine's Day nights alone. Whether it was the girly date that my friends and I planned last year (read more about Valentine's Day 2012 here) or getting to spend time with a boyfriend, I've always used the holiday to express my love for those around me.

     Whether or not you choose to buy into the hype, here are some wishes that I would love to come true for myself and others:

-Appreciate affection every day of the year, not just one. Because I'm dating someone that I'm so compatible with, it is easy to focus in on cheesy, romantic gestures. However, just because I don't have an ornate date night planned doesn't mean our relationship is any less solid than it has been for the past five months. But at the end of the day, baking cupcakes together and making each other laugh like always will be the perfect break in my stressful week.  Speaking of which...

-Take time to breath and express your love. I would be a piece of cake for me to just fly past Valentine's Day because I feel like I have way too much work to get done. But as a nineteen year old college student, my responsibilities are still fairly self centered. That being said, I know that I can't wait to use tomorrow as an opportunity to just relax a little bit.

-Know how to love yourself before you can give love to others. It is cliche, I know. But taking the time to really appreciate who you are and what you can offer to people is the best way to meet other people. Being caught up in imperfections and being too hard on yourself will only lead to problems down the road, in both friendships and relationships.

-Don't worry too much if your love life isn't exactly what you have pictured. Single? Not a problem. To me, this time is a gift from the universe for you to do whatever you want. We all have our day to day tasks that we have to complete, whether work or school related. But if you are single, you get to use that free time outside of those responsibilities to explore hobbies and passions that might take a back seat if you spend so much time with your significant other. 

-Turn the tables. Is there someone in your life who is literally always doing nice things for you? Going above and beyond to make you happy? Whether that's the barista at Starbucks who always compliments your outfit or your loving mother (I have four lovely parents who I should treat to nice things more often...), be sure to take some extra time to make them feel loved.

     Tomorrow, I'm definitely hoping to take a bit of my own advice and not focus inward. I feel a thousand times better doing nice things for others than for myself and I am going to keep that in mind on a potentially over the top,cheesy holiday.