101 Happy Little Ways to Be Your Own Valentine - Christine Kane

1 – Stay in bed all day and read Janet Evanovich.

2 – Get your car washed and vacuumed. Pay extra for the tire treatment!

3 – Get a massage. Pay extra for an hour and a half!

4 – Get a pedicure and polish your toe nails “Brothel Red.”

5 – Meditate for 30 minutes.

6 – Take a yoga class.

7 – Give your dog a bath. Then give her lots of treats.

8 – Hike on a trail you’ve never tried before.

9 – Pick a new recipe and make it.

10 – Have a candlelight dinner with yourself.

11 – Get yourself a big bodacious bouquet of flowers. Don’t skimp. Get exactly the flowers you love.

12 – Don’t forget to write yourself a gorgeous note with your flowers.

13 – Use this affirmation all day: “I am loved and adored.”

14 – Fill the bird feeders and spend the morning watching. Really just watching.

15 – Do a major refrigerator clean out and scrub down. You’ll feel marvelous each time you open it!

16 – Watch Sleepless in Seattle.

17 – Or, screw the romantic comedies and watch The Matrix.

18 – Wake up before the sun rises and light candles all over the house.

19 – Have a silent retreat all day long.

20 – Take a bath with rosemary oil. (If you gave your dog a bath, clean out the tub first!)

21 – Go out and get yourself some seductive lingerie.

22 – Call five different friends and tell each one how much you love her.

23 – Call a family member just to catch up. No agenda.

24 – Get rid of any item of clothing in your closet you no longer adore.

25 – Do the same with cosmetics and jewelry.

26 – Take a nap.

27 – Take a drive and listen to an old CD you haven’t heard in years.

28 – Take lots of pictures of your cats. Some day, you’ll be so happy you did!

29 – Go roller skating.

30 – Invite friends over. Make it casual and low-pressure.

31 – Get a babysitter to take the kids. Tell your spouse to go to the movies. And revel in having the house to yourself.

32 – Have dinner delivered to your front door.

33 – Eat alone in total silence by candlelight.

34 – Invest in a small piece of artwork.

35 – Read anything by Martha Beck.

36 – Sign up for a June Retreat! (There’s only 4 spaces left!)

37 – Take yourself out on a shopping trip JUST to get a new gratitude journal.

38 – Go to the hair salon JUST for a shampoo and style.

39 – After that, go to the MAC counter at the mall and have a makeover.

40 – Go to the movies alone.

41 – Spend the day at the museum.

42 – Listen to an audiobook while you bake something yummy.

43 – Make your 2009 Vision Board if you haven’t already!

44 – Sit with your kids while they play. Just watch them without opinions.

45 – Write a love letter to your body.

46 – Write a love letter to your partner or spouse.

47 – Give yourself turn down service. Put a chocolate on your pillow.

48 – Put a bouquet of roses by your bed.

49 – Raise your fees or prices.

50 – Clear off your computer desktop!

51 – Color with crayons. Invite your kids to join you.

52 – Read all those magazines you’ve stacked up for “some day.” Then toss em!

53 – Go on a day-long juice fast.

54 – Prepare for spring and clean up the yard a little bit.

55 – Start an Art Journal – even if you’re not an artist.

56 – Plan your next vacation.

57 – Read Mary Oliver.

58 – Make a decision you’ve been putting off.

60 – Say “I love you” to yourself every time you walk by the mirror.

61 – Go to the park and swing on the swings.

62 – Draw badly in your journal, and sign your name lavishly to the picture.

63 – Go for a long bike ride.

64 – Take pictures of your whole life and all the small precious things in it.

65 – Play basketball. (And pretend you’re Tyler Hansbrough.)

66 – Sit by the fire and knit.

67 – Treat yourself to the best chocolate ever – RAW chocolate!

68 – Write in your journal.

69 – Make a new iTunes mix on your iPod.

70 – Walk on the beach. (If you’re lucky enough to live there!)

71 – Build a snowman. (If you’re lucky enough to have snow!)

72 – Buy a brand new kick-ass pair of jeans.

73 – Invite your cats to join you while you nap.

74 – Say “no” more often.

75 – Write a poem.

76 – Spend the day at a spa.

77 – Play ping-pong.

78 – Get a Twitter account.

79 -  Make Mr. Patticus your first Follow on Twitter.

80 – Go kayaking.

81 – Build some cairns.

82 – Comment on 101 different blogs.

83 – Write a letter to yourself and mail it. In a real mail box.

84 – Get the most expensive coffee drink on the menu.

85 – Give yourself a facial.

86 – Play Gab-to-Go with friends on your iPhone.

87 – Say “yes” more often.

88 – Get your own domain name.

89 – Fly a kite.

90 – Go people-watching downtown.

91 – Back your hard drive up.

92 – Drink as many Kombucha’s as you want!

93 – Listen to Sense and Sensibility
on audio.

94 – Tithe some cash and become your own strong economy!

95 – Crank up Earth Wind & Fire and dance like a maniac around the house.

96 – Make yourself larger than life and hold the planet in your heart.

97 – Get some fresh catnip for your kitties. Sit back and watch.

98 – Smell the dirt in the woods. (I’m serious!)

99 – Make a collage.

100 – Clean out your file cabinet.

101 – Make a list of 101 things you love about your life.

27 COMMENTS ADD A COMMENT
  • Jannie Funster

    I’m with you on #95 especially!

  • mindy

    Thanks for always inspiring me with ideas on how to celebrate life, regardless of whether I am in a relationship or not. I am in the process of divorcing and finally learning how to be happy without having a romantic relationship or partner.

    I didn’t read this list until today – the day after Valentine’s Day – but I was excited to see one of the things I did do for myself on Valentine’s Day is on your list – “72 – Buy a brand new kick-ass pair of jeans.” I just got the urge to go out shopping for a new fabulous pair of jeans so I did it – got a great new pair that I love how I look in and inevitably also bought a few other new clothes items (outer and under garments : )

    I also invited one of my best girlfriends over for dinner and a movie (luckily I have a fabulous female housemate who offered to cook for the three of us), enjoyed dinner, wine, chocolatey treats I bought, and a movie about friendship among women (The Women) with these two lovely female friends.

    There is a man in my life I go out with on occasion and he decided mid-day to ask me if I wanted to get together that night. I told him too bad, maybe next time, I had plans with the ladies. It was a really great day of putting myself and my female friends first!

  • Carolyn

    thank you for inspiring me to make the day a beautiful and shared one! Valentine’s Day is about Love, and thanks for the reminder that Love is everywhere and in everything, if we just open the door to Love. Bouquets of roses are being thrown to you and all my fellow ck fans!

  • romanlily

    Thank you for this list, Christine! I sure appreciate it. Some great ideas here. I got together with an old friend this weekend. Her husband and kids were back at home, three states away. We bought flowers and chocolate for ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed a non-traditional day.

    (We also discovered a great movie for those who are looking for a quality “chick flick” experience but don’t want the full-on “Sleepless in Seattle” experience. It’s called “Next Stop Wonderland.” Available on Netflix. Sweet, funny and smart. Also satisfyingly romantic — just not as syrupy as Nora Ephron…)

  • creativevoyage

    I actually bought two polyantus plants and two chinese bowls.

    And gave myself the rest of the weekend off – wow !

  • JOY (yours)

    bob and i were going to watch sleepless in seattle tonightfor the 6dth time, but…

  • Arlene

    Christine,
    Thanks for this great list…I love Stacy’s idea to put them in a bowl and pulling one out on occasion-I am definitely going to do that today. I sent old fashioned Valentines cards to my family and friends this week to tell them how much I love and appreciate them. I used to love making our card boxes each Valentine’s Day in grade school and going home with it chock full of Valentines. I already have the brothel red on my toes (my standard 🙂 but I definitely think I am going to buy myself a bouquet of flowers today.

  • Tim

    Christine:

    Awesome list! I especially like the “candlelight dinner with yourself.” When I was living alone and laid off from my job one of the things I did for myself was cook a good meal every day. This was my ritual and it kept me sane and grateful for everything I did have. So many people think it is not worth cooking a good meal if they are by themself. I say it is the best opportunity to experiment and try new things.

  • Julie

    Thank you for this wonderful list! It will come in handy EVERY day. With regard to #78, I signed up for an account a couple of weeks ago and never went any further with it. Cold feet. So I’ve added #102 to the list to explore what that’s all about … tomorrow.

  • Laurie

    This is a joyful list to check off all year long. Thanks Christine!

  • Elaine

    I just love ‘Sleepless in Seattle!’ 🙂 – what a great list! Happy V Day!

  • Thauna

    What a lovely list! This is just what I needed, since I am without a sweetheart and I’m trying to be my own sweetheart. I’ll use this list throughout the day to keep loving ME. You are always such an inspiration.

  • Glad

    Love this list. V-day is hard for so many reasons. This list gives us alternatives to buying into the hype.

    Thanks!!

  • jeannie

    hi christine!
    this is funny AND great! and a note to you guys out there who are just a bit leary of #4—GO FOR IT! i was in west hollywood getting a pedicure, and lo and behold this lovely guy right next to me was having one too—red/white/blue painted toenails to celebrate the 4th of july! okay…i know what you’re thinking–yeah, it was west hollywood…but i absolutely loved his enthusiasm and spontaneity. and that is a turn on for anyone!
    jeannie

  • LMaxwell

    Thanks Christine, the list is beautiful.
    I am spoting the brothel red polish right now – painted yesterday!

    What will you be doing yourself?

    p/s my vision board is so cool, thanks to you.

  • Faith

    #14: The birds are great to watch! They can be pretty funny sometimes… I’ve always held the belief that my mom (who died in 1996) watches over us through the birds, as she was always a bird nut when she was alive (Dad watches through the dogs). So feeding the birds lets me say “Love you and miss you, Mom!”, and I get the added bonus of the feathery entertainment… 🙂

    Won’t be able to do most of this stuff on Saturday (gotta clean house, got friends coming to stay overnight!), but this is an excellent list for any day of the year!

  • Stacey

    I’m giving my sweetie a collection of “coupons” that he can redeem any time – “Sleep in For An Hour”, “Breakfast in Bed”, “An Hour in Bed with Me”, and “An Hour to Read Anything I Like” – gold money for the parent of a young child. 🙂 I was thinking of how to drop hints that this is the sort of thing *I* would like as well. Now I’ve decided I’ll just put all 101 suggestions on slips of paper and put them in a bowl and pull one out when I need to fill the well. Thanks, Christine!

  • Tracy

    Hi Christine,
    I, too, have been having a pity party because my hubby has been traveling the past week and will be gone another week. We usually don’t even do much on Valentine’s Day, but his absence has me feeling like I want a Valentine’s extravaganza. Thanks for all the great suggestions. They are great for any day. My dogs and I are already gearing up for #95 followed by #73. By the way, Mr. Patticus has now become my personal growth guru:-)

  • Steph

    Thank you for this list! I’ll be with my sweetie this Valentine’s Day, but I may ditch him for a while to indulge in a few of the solo activities. 🙂 Or maybe I’ll keep them in my back pocket to help navigate my way through the rest of February.

    Thank you for reminding me that little things can be divine.

  • creativevoyage

    love this ! I’m going to buy myself some flowers right away.

    Phoning people is great so is writing postcards to them – spread the love !

  • Lance

    Good morning Christine,

    This list is great – and it is – because there’s something on there that everyone can do! (I’m with Walter – in fact, I think I’ll skip #4 altogether).

    I love the picture!

  • Michelle

    Love it!!! Absolutely love this list. What a great idea. Thanks for these perfect Valentine’s Day posts.

  • Petra

    I always celebrate Valentine’s Day, whether I’m partnered that year or not. This year I’m baking a chocolate layer cake with ganache filling and peanut butter frosting. I intend to have a piece of that for breakfast, a far cry from the usual healthy meal (oatmeal or muesli and the like). Then I’m getting on my computer and doing some creative fiction writing. And maybe have another piece of that cake for lunch!

  • Mindful Mimi

    Love the list, love it!
    The secret to it though is: to do some (or a lot) of these things every day 🙂

  • Walter Hawn

    Think I’ll skip the second half of #4, and I refuse to contemplate #100. Otherwise…

  • Valaine

    My sweetheart will be away as well. Thanks for these awesome suggestions 🙂

  • Lynne

    I was just in the midst of having an enormous pity party for myself because my gentleman friend will be away at recurrent training (he’s a pilot) on Valentine’s Day. This was the perfect pick-me-up — and the perfect reminder of the importance of taking special care of yourself. Thanks, Christine — helped cut what could have been a very ugly party short!