My least favorite post-Valentine’s Day affairs (in no particular order): green-stocked shelves, yellow flowers, and a chilly cold front. While there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with St. Patrick’s Day preparation or digging out my winter jacket, I’m simply disinterested. I can’t help myself; I’m a generic college girl who likes sunny summer days, pink flowers, and heart-covered window displays (in that order). So, breezy early February days are a dream, and everything after becomes dull in comparison.
Still, I know that my days are what I make of them. As preached by authors, influencers, and professionals alike, the popular notion of “romanticizing” one’s life can be very helpful. As cheesy as it feels to put on paper, it’s my gold-star habit. Late in the month of love, I accept that even as the magazines and markets move on, I don’t have to.
I can buy rose-colored glasses, minus the naivety, and rewrite the rest. With the help of social media lifestyle gurus and some personal journaling, here’s my list of sayings and affirmations to keep your love even in the wake of the 14th.
- You are the love that you seek, all the love you give is finding its way back to you.
-
It’s such a simple thought, and yet my favorite mantra to date. It’s reminiscent of another similar phrase, “If you’re trying to love yourself, it means you already do,” because it uncovers the overthinking of human nature. As girls and humans, we may feel like we have to show an over-the-top expression to prove our love. Movies, blogs, books, and social media posts streamline these extravagant proposals and love confessions.
Over time, it’s bled into a cultural phenomenon; we think we need to see something over the top to know it’s real. In truth, knowing that love is out there, seeing it in others, and seeking it means we already have it. I’ve always found solace in this, and it surely helped my February blues.
- You’re a mosaic of everyone you’ve ever loved.
-
The Month of Love makes us think about who we care for and why. There’s something super special about knowing that with every ounce of love you give, you receive, even if the relationship falls apart. Humans are made up of each other, whether it be a roommate’s laugh, a best friend’s favorite song, or a parent’s family recipe.
- Remember when you wanted what you currently have?
-
This is a question, but also a reminder. Sometimes when the fancy words and phrases fail, it takes a prompt to finally recalibrate. Oftentimes I, like so many others, fail to acknowledge my victories in search of something better. In a cold month like February, losing sight comes more naturally.
However, reminding myself of how happy I am to be where I am, even if it was simply to wake up and see the sun that morning, puts a pretty presence on my day.
- “Make somebody happy, you have more power than you think you do.” – Mac Miller
-
A Mac Miller quote, and a life statement. One of the easiest ways I’ve found to see beauty is to act on the feeling instead of searching for it. By smiling at someone, sharing a compliment, speaking to a stranger, or calling an old friend, we our share love from one person to another.
I don’t perceive love as transactional, it’s vibrational and always around, even if its hiding. What always works for me to feel love is to give it away. On a gorgeous and growing college campus like FSU, we’re blessed with thousands of opportunities to do this every day.
- i am grateful for…
-
An unfinished phrase, but likely the most powerful. It manifests for me in the form of a Notes app document, an overflowing orange notebook, and an iPhone background widget, but it doesn’t have to be more than a thought. Simply asking myself, “What am I grateful for today?” recenters and lightens my heart. If I could only commemorate one thing for my mindset today, it’d be my thousands of gratitude lists.
At the end of the day, or the month (in this case), Valentine’s Day did pass, and the seasons are changing. Still, I’ve found that love doesn’t need a season to persist. It’s always around, waiting to be noticed. So, I’ll be making sure my Florida State February stays pretty and pink, even as the days move on!
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest!