The Love Doctor is… on vacation

I’m absolutely a romantic at heart. So Valentine’s Day should be my bread and butter, right?

Nope!

I will say, last year on Valentine’s Day I went to dinner with a family friend who was in town for work. And I met someone that night that I proceeded to date for the next 5 months or so.

Other than that, the most romantic Valentine’s Day I’ve had, the only time I had a boyfriend on the most romantic holiday of the year, I got sick the night before. We had to cancel our plans and I fell asleep on the couch at 8:30pm during a movie in a pile of fever-sweat and snot. So sexy.

via GIPHY

I’m also a big believer in showing love every damn day! You can’t just show up to your partner’s doorstep with an armful of roses on February 14th and call it good for the year. I would much rather less grand romantic gestures throughout the year than a huge, blow-out celebration on Valentine’s Day.

I do love romance. I won’t lie about that. I’m a sucker for the guy and girl to end up together at the end of movies. I’m addicted to romance novels, and not just when I’m looking for light beach reading anymore. I always love a good “meet cute” story. And I’m a big believer in cliches like “it happens when you least expect it” because stuff like that has totally happened to friends of mine.

For all the cynics out there, you’ll get a kick out of these cliche spin-offs! My favorite: “Wine heals all wounds.”

But as a single girl on Valentine’s Day, my romantic celebration options are limited at best. I choose to celebrate all the love I have in my life! I always grew up celebrating Valentine’s Day with my parents and exchanging cards with the kids at school, and I think it’s a good practice to remember. There’s so much more love out there in the world than just romantic love, and it should be celebrated just as much. If not more.

Love the celebration of love, whether you have a lover or not.

-Tiffany Cruikshank

Even though yesterday was technically Galentine’s Day…

via GIPHY

I view celebrating my ladies the same way: every damn day.

How could I not want to celebrate this bunch every day? Look a these beautiful hooligans!

Love is love is love.

Love for my parents.

Love for my fur baby Tori.

Love for my amazing sweaty squad.

And non-sweaty squad.

Love for friends miles and miles away.

Struggling to maintain connection with loved ones that you don’t see every day? There’s a great argument for going old school and actually talking on the phone!

Love for trails, mountains, beaches, and getting outside! For doing what you love!

And finally, the most difficult of all, love for yourself. I truly believe that you have to know and love yourself before being able to love and be loved by another. Your relationship with yourself is what you’ll have for the rest of your life.

My girl Ariana has some great tips on getting to know and accepting yourself, especially in a world that doesn’t really want you to.

Love is many things: romance, friends, family, laughter, hugs, smiles. It is also tears, fights, fears. It’s intimate and meaningful. And sometimes it’s just tackle-worthy!

And dogpiles of cuddle puddles!

And nose boops!

There’s so much to love, why should the celebration stop at one person on one day? Share the love!

How are you celebrating the day of love?