Written by: Amanda Cottrell, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Valentines can be a hard day for so many people who do not have a significant other to celebrate this time of year with. It is a tough “Hallmark” holiday any year, but maybe even more difficult for people this year because of the pandemic. My challenge to you, whether you are in a relationship or not, is to consider how you will surround yourself with love this Valentines. You can find love all around you. You just have to be willing to notice and recognize it.
We live in a world filled with love, but we do not always see it or consciously send love to it. You can send love to your pets and children. You can even send love to your home, car, and furniture. Quantum physics has proven that everything is made of energy. We are all made up of energy vibrating at different frequencies. We have a choice to vibrate love and positivity or to vibrate sadness and disparity. When you step back and take a moment to consciously choose to vibrate love, you will notice more love in places you never expected. When you look for the love in each situation, you will find it.
Here is my story of looking for love in each situation.
When I look back on my most memorable Valentines Day, it actually had nothing to do with a significant other and everything to do with spending time with my daughter. I was given a gift of a one-night stay in Banff for Christmas and the only weekend that worked for me to go away was Valentines weekend, which I clearly did not realize when I had booked it.
So I took my 5-year old away for a special mommy and daughter weekend. We went to the fancy hotel, checked in, played in the hot tub, and then went for dinner. I tried to convince my 5-year old that we should go into the town to a more kid-appropriate restaurant for dinner, but she insisted that we eat at the fancy restaurant in the hotel, much to my mortification at the moment.
At the restaurant, there were all of these couples around us having special Valentines' dinners and toasting over glasses of wine. Meanwhile, I sat with my 5-year-old, who ordered grilled cheese and was sitting on me, then beside me and then of course under the table and chatting with people as they walked by. I am sure right now you are picturing this and laughing at the thought of this scene.
At that moment, I was completely mortified by the situation; also, I could not help but laugh to myself. Here I am out with my 5-year-old, celebrating a mommy and me weekend of swimming, skiing, playing go fish, and watching a movie curled up in our hotel room. At the same time, everyone else around me was out in the mountains for a romantic getaway.
I could have left that weekend feeling completely deflated. But instead, I felt completely empowered. I got to spend a special weekend away with my daughter, and if that is not love, I do not know what is. I chose to see the love that was surrounding me in that moment at that time and have complete gratitude for it. I modeled to my daughter that Valentines is about love, not just for a significant other but for everyone and everything in my life. I was so absolutely grateful for the night away with her, and to be honest, it was the best Valentines I have ever had because of the special moments with her. Your children do not last forever. They grow in the blink of an eye, cherish those moments.
Movies, the internet, and commercials constantly bombard us with images of love and passion and other desires that attempt to manipulate our brains into thinking we do not have love unless we have what they are trying to sell. I guarantee you there are no Valentines commercials out there depicting the story I just told you. The truth is, love is everywhere. It is in the kindness from a random stranger. It is in the traditions you build with friends. It is in the time you take just for self-care.
I am single, and I have been mostly single for a number of years, and honestly, for the most part, I love it. I have absolute gratitude when I get to focus on my passions, projects, and building the most positive space I can for my daughter.
So as I look to this Valentines being single again. I think, man, I am so lucky for everything in my life. I have an amazing job, the best friends anyone could ask for, an extraordinary daughter, and so many passion projects on the go that keep me on my toes and feeling absolutely alive and fulfilled.
What do you have that you can send absolute gratitude and love towards this Valentines? I know each and everyone has their own unique situations, and I know that if you consciously look for love in your life, you will find it!
Sending you all love from the bottom of my heart this Valentines! May you find the love that surrounds you every day. Take a moment to be completely in awe of all of the love you are surrounded with and carry that with you not just on Valentines but also on each day forward.
Amanda Cottrell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Believe! Create! Inspire! Amanda Marie Cottrell is a woman who wears many hats with a BA in Political Science, B.Ed in elementary education, M.Ed specializing in creativity and technology, Reiki master, yoga for young children instructor, artist, mom, author, illustrator, and teacher. She also runs an arts-based business teaching art and mindfulness workshops. As an educator of young children for over 14 years, Amanda’s passion is education and creativity. She believes that everyone has creative capacities. Her mission is to empower people by tapping into their own unique creative gifts through connection and mindfulness. Namaste!
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