Valentine’s Day, Self-love & Chocolate
Written by Mena Borges, Holistic Nutritionist, Herbalist, Wellness Coach & Chocolate Expert.
Valentine's Day, typically marked by the exchange of jewelry, roses, and chocolates, presents a wonderful opportunity to celebrate self-love and indulge in self-care, without the weight of obligation. For Mamas navigating the balance between caring for others and themselves, this day serves as a joyful reminder: self-care is a form of love. You can pamper yourself, rejuvenate, and boost your wellness without breaking the bank.
Dive into this blog for a dash of delight and a collection of simple, cost-effective self-care ideas that can make a significant difference in your overall health.
Discover fun, uplifting ways to revel in Valentine's Day with homemade wellness-inspiring chocolate and more, all in the spirit of care and joy. And check out the bottom for an affordable, virtual class on DIY Valentine’s Day Chocolate making!
Laughter
Have you ever laughed so hard that both your cheeks and tummy muscles said: “OMGoodness! I’m so sore, what a workout!” Yes, laughter is a workout, but that’s not all. It raises endorphins levels, lowers stress, and relaxes us. Laughter is also a universal language understood by everyone from newborns to the elderly.
I encourage you to take a few minutes today to laugh for laughter’s sake. This can be done alone as well as with others. You may be thinking: “But what if I don’t feel like laughing?” That’s okay. Here’s a Laughter Yoga secret: our body cannot distinguish between real laughter or fake laughter. So, fake it until you make it and you will reap the benefits of laughter. We also do not need to watch comedy or listen to jokes. We can simply laugh out loud and roll with it. Go ahead and give it a try by laughing your best Woody Woodpecker, Popeye, or Elmo laugh. Try imitating one of Jim Carrey’s character’s laughs, Fran Drescher’s laugh, Adele or Rickie Gervais’s cackle. It’s okay if you snort a little too, your endorphins will love you for it.
Gentle reminder: “We laugh together, never at one another.”
Embrace a Favorite
Embracing something that is a favorite may look like wearing one's favorite pair of socks, other apparel item or accessory for example. For some it may be using one’s favorite pen or mug. Yes, it can be this simple because often that favorite item makes us feel good or brings us joy.
Many parents have likely have had an episode with a child that involved a tantrum where a favorite item was not available because it was in the dirty laundry pile and the child's day is absolutely ruined.
What if that item is available or if, like me, you discover the trick of having a backup identical item? In my first years of Mamahood, I did this not only with my Little One's pink monkey stuffie, but also with a pair of bright green pants. These pants were not the cutest green color, but they fit, they matched the cutest little tunic and they made my toddler's day!
Taking cues from our tots is an absolutely brilliant way to take care of ourselves because often it is the little things that make a huge difference.
Our favorite things are a reflection of our inner positivity which, by wearing or using them, is a lovely way to express self-love.
Pet therapy
Another example of self-care that is affordable, does not take too much time, can be done alone or with others, and benefits both the human & the pet. And is definitely not a selfish form of self-care.
Studies have shown that time with pets has benefits not only for our health, but also for self-care. Universities and colleges have begun incorporating pet therapy during exam periods to help students reduce stress. If you have a pet at home, taking 5 minutes to caress him or her can benefit you both humans and our furry friends feel a sense of calm with touch.
Journaling
A gratitude journal or a simple journal is a great tool in the self-care toolbox. This practice allows for reflection, appreciation, and a space to let go of negative thoughts or feelings. The acting of writing can take as little as a few minutes or longer - I see you my writing friends.
Another fun aspect of journaling is that it is an opportunity to treat ourselves to a journal and / or writing instrument that helps with a positive vibe. I love my own honeycomb journal with colors that reflect nature along with my favorite ergonomic pen. The feel of the pen, its color, and ink color versatility make me want to use it because it feels good in my hand and is so pretty to look at. If you are not a pen “snob” (I use this in affection manner) like me, maybe it is the journal cover or the soft feel of the paper that attracts you. Not matter which journaling tool appeals to you, when there is a desire to use our self-care tools, we to use them more and make such activities a habit. What a wonderful reason to get that journal or pen you have been eyeing as a Valentine’s Day gift!
Hugs
Did you know that research shows hugs offer great health benefits such as stress and anxiety reduction? The act of hugging reduces cortisol levels, relaxes the heart rate in times of stress and releases our feel-good hormone oxytocin.
Hugging is a great form of self-care. It is also free and does not take too much time. In fact, research shows that we reap the benefits with a 20-second hug. Plus, it is a shared experience, how cool is that? Don't have someone to hug in a moment where you need self-care, that’s okay, hugging a pillow may help according to this article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/keep-it-in-mind/202201/what-20-seconds-hugging-can-do-you. Next time you, a friend or child you love is stressed, try pausing for a hug.
Sun and Green Time.
Enjoying the rays of the sun on bare skin (no sunblock) daily for a short period is one of the most affordable ways for our bodies to synthesize vitamin D, to reset circadian rhythms and to help us feel well overall. A bonus is if we can do it in nature where we smell the aromatics of a forest and can be one with nature.
Humans evolved with plants and their communication helps us thrive, so if you are in need of self-care, an emotional boost or to refresh, step outside in the sunlight & take a walk or have a seat in a forest-like setting as I have done in this photo and enjoy some deep breaths and what Mother Nature has to offer. Who knows, you may even see a butterfly, dragonfly or humming bird who will bring a smile to your face.
Smell the Roses
You have no doubt heard the cliché: Stop and smell the roses. Did you know that doing so can have health benefits?
Pausing to smell flowers may look like taking a stroll at a park where there are fragrant flowers, relaxing in one’s garden or working in a garden. These activities also help with sun and green time as well as physical activities which is a wellness win!
For those who do not have a garden, buying one’s own weekly bouquet of flowers is a wonderful way of saying: “I love myself enough to budget for a bouquet that will lift my spirits.” What a great way to teach our little ones that we need to take time to not only care for ourselves, but to also share that gift with our loved ones. Another wellness win!
I have to admit that as an herbalist and fan of flowers, I can’t decide which is my favorite, but I am definitely partial to the aster family as well as lavender. A wonderful way to involve the family in this form of self-care is to choose a different flower every week to focus on and learn its characteristics and uses.
Sleep
Before we move on to chocolate, let’s explore an aspect of self-care that is often taken for granted or not prioritized. Sleep is an activity we do daily and sometimes it is a struggle whether for adults who have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or with our little ones who do not always go along with the bedtime routine.
Most of us have experience with lack of sleep especially those of us who have mothered or are currently mothering a newborn. We tell ourselves we’ll catch up on the sleep later or that we will take other mothers’ advice to sleep when the baby does, but then the baby becomes a toddler who has learned how to get out of bed and that adorable human keeps us on our toes during the bedtime routine when we just want to go veg out on the couch. Then the toddler grows into a big kid and starts activities for which we become chauffeur and we put off sleep until the weekend, but then there is a tournament or a recital and we need to get up to arrive on time. We groggily get the kids out of the house with mismatching socks and do our best to drive safely, but our fuse is short and we may behave as a less than stellar version of ourselves. Or we decide that we will read that novel we have been dying to finish, but we fall asleep on the first page.
Imagine that instead of adding one more thing to your already jam packed planner, you pencil in a 20-30 minute name a few days a week. You wake up refreshed and less stressed with each nap. What an amazing gift to you and your family!
Chocolate
And finally, we have arrived at the world’s favorite candy for Valentine’s Day: chocolate. It is estimated that approximately 36 million heart shaped boxes are sold annually for the holiday. According to the National Retail Federation, $2.4 billion was spent on chocolate in 2020 the U.S which is an estimated $7.30 per person. The tradition of the heart shaped box dates to the late 1880s when the Cadbury family marketed the first one for Valentine’s Day.
Given their popularity, most of us have likely received a chocolate Valentine’s box in our lifetime. It is also likely that we have had the following experience: We open the box and enjoy the candies we know we will like and leave the others aside. But if we were able to have our dream box with only our favorite chocolates? What if we were able to make them at home as an act of self-care?
Most people probably do not associate chocolate candy making as an act of self-care or self-love, but that is exactly what it has been for me. When I was in graduate school and nearly done with my dissertation writing, I felt bored and read about a recreational class offered through the local community college. It was on chocolate making.
I had always enjoyed chocolate and so I thought, why not? It turned out to be a really fun 2-day class where I got to take home my projects and share with friends. It was soothing to be in the kitchen with the smell of melted chocolate evoking memories of childhood.
Ever since, I have been incorporating chocolate in many forms into my personal and professional life. Often when clients ask me about what kinds of activities I would suggest either for stress reduction or fun, I ask them what they like to do or bring up topics related to the activities they have mentioned in their intake form.
For those who consider themselves foodies or who enjoy spending time in the kitchen, making their own chocolate confections is a great option as it allows one to express creativity feeding the soul and treating the body to tastiness that can be shared with loved ones.
Make Some Healthy Homemade Chocolate for this Valentine’s Day:
What: Learn how to make your own Valentine’s Day Box of Chocolates - plus how to source better chocolate for you, your health & the wellbeing of the plant & cacao workers.
When: February 8 and 10, 2024
Click to RSVP here. Use code: Thriver15! for 15% off
About Mena Borges:
Mena Borges is a holistic practitioner who uses Nutrition, Herbalism, Coaching and Laughter Yoga to help clients nourish their best selves. With over two decades navigating food allergies, making changes to put her autoimmunity into remission, and parenting a child with a complex medical case, she understands living with chronic illness and what it takes to thrive with it in remission. Her passion is to help others with medically restricted diets using culinary creativity.
With a solid base in biology, she believes everyone has different needs due to bio-individuality. Her cultural awareness and curiosity stem from her experience as an immigrant and her background in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. She teaches chocolate history, tasting, and making as well as nontoxic living at the collegiate level and has authored Theobroma cacao: An Illustrated Guide to All Things Chocolate, two cookbooks, and a poetry collection.
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You can also find her on The M List, The Mamahood’s searchable database of mom-recommended resources, or connect and collaborate with Mena inside of The Club membership for women Founders.
Shop her array of other wellness classes and homemade goodies here.