Have you ever wondered why sweets and chocolates are associated with love and Valentine’s Day?

One possible answer is that sweet taste, according to Ayurveda, is associated with love. It’s a taste that grounds you and offers you comfort.

It’s not really about the food, but about what  you feel when you eat the food.

Especially now during the isolation and stress of this pandemic, sweets offer us a taste of love and a sense of contentment.

Because Kapha (Earth/Water) is a strong part of my constitution, I have a big sweet tooth. Kapha types tend to love sweet taste and use it to pacify difficult emotions.

As a practice of self-love, I accept this about myself AND continue to grow my awareness. There are times when I let myself indulge and times when I practice the discipline of giving up sweets.

BUT, I definitely don’t give up sweets on Valentines Day! In fact, enjoying your favorite sweet treats, when done mindfully, can help true self-love shine.

Here are 4 tips for growing self-love through sweet treats this Valentines Day:

1.Enjoy the chocolate and the sweets – I know I will!

2.Eat them slowly and mindfully, whether they’re gifted to you by someone special or you buy them yourself because YOU are someone special. Chew and taste as slowly as possible so you experience the fullness of the taste.

3.Notice the feelings of comfort, grounding and contentment. Acknowledge them, get curious about them and be grateful for them.

4. After you’ve enjoyed your treat, notice if your tendency is to make yourself wrong for eating a treat. Ask yourself what being hard on yourself really accomplishes. If you truly experience adverse affects from what you just ate, know that you can choose powerfully and differently next time. You always have choice, and choosing to not be hard on yourself is a practice in self-love.

Growing your self-awareness is an act of self-love. It makes you more powerful and response-able. You don’t have to always cultivate self-awareness through sitting in meditation or yoga practice. Self-study can happen anytime you decide to turn your attention toward yourself – including when you’re craving and/or enjoying food. Just make sure that in your awareness you’re not beating yourself up. True self love creates accountability, better understanding, healing and love.

Helping women grow their self-awareness is one of my biggest passions. My 90-day, 6 month and 1 year Mind Body Coaching programs are designed to support you in growing yourself-awareness, your healthy habits, your courage and your confidence so you can fully love and appreciate the unique, amazing woman that you are. Click Here to learn more.