Here Comes Your Valentine

If you’ve left it too late, never fear…. I got you.

Where to Start

For context: Valentines Day as it stands today IS a marketing ideal. You must and should not be making a fuss over Valentine’s Day for the sake of it. When people say that it’s purely Hallmark that changed the course of the day, they do not go any deeper into the actual history of the day. It has a connection to some pretty radical saints that dared to live differently. However, as with all things, times change and so did the meaning of the day. Here is the wikipedia entry.

Having said that if you do want to celebrate it, then here’s where you should really start.

The Inside

The 5 love languages.

If you are not aware of Gary Chapman’s work, then for your relationship and your own sake please get intimately aware with it. Which reminds me, I should (re)start my book reviews. But I digress…

This book will stand you in good stead now and way into your future in all your relationships: personal, professional and romantic. Now you can’t just go ahead and ask someone what their love language is (heavens I know I tried and let me tell you…it doesn’t work). Most of the time they won’t know. Besides, over time, the languages do change. But there is always primary and secondary languages and even though (after you sit the test) the numbers could change – I have found they still around the same major themes.

You can sit the test here and obtain the book from Amazon. Should I put an affiliate link here []This is an affiliate link and this will go some way in supporting my blog and providing value back to you.

Here’s how I approached it from a Mother’s Day perspective. It might give you some quick insights.

How to have difficult conversations.

This book came recommended from Ramit Sethi.
Someone that I personally look up to and have used his material to help propel my career. So when he recommends this and the recommendation was the intersection of other people I admire, I had to take notice.

It’s not always easy to do this – most people prefer to avoid conflicts and allow things to go unspoken which eventually leads to a blow-up about something so insignificant. After reading this and many other books on the topic, it seems that a lack of communication stems from an unmet desire or need. So when you are given a framework, all that is needed on your part is to constantly be focused on improving this area. And who doesn’t want a life where they have their needs met – personally and professionally?

The number one complaint in most relationships is people not communicating with each other. This book will help you avoid becoming another statistic.

Whilst this post is aimed at the general Australian public, you could apply these principles to wherever you live.

Right now, Australia has been devastated by bushfires and are feeling the effects of the coronavirus on the tourism industry. So this year especially, as with most years, I encourage you to shop local.

If you’re going for flowers, then find the ones in season instead of getting roses. Even when it comes to chocolates, get the ones from local markets. There are mid-week markets too so you are not too late.

However, if anything you should do things together. Always try and do things together to create shared memories.

The Outside

In the vein of low to high cost:


2.5 to 3 hours of gentle walking around Melbourne discovering some fascinating history of the area. At the end of the tour, you are free to pay whatever you feel. And where it ends, there are a few great eateries to indulge later.

    Make dinner paired with wine

Chicken and Seafood

One of my favourite things to do is to learn a new dish. If you read this post in time you have plenty of days to practice. If not, find easy, no-way-you-can-stuff-up recipes and go for it. I make chocolate fondue out of a frying pan and never had any complaints. Yes… you’re welcome.

    Picnic in the park

The whole she-bang. Rug, basket, champagne and strawberries. Easy to do. But weather dependent. And if it gets cold, isn’t it just snuggle weather? No, just me? Aw shucks.

    Restaurant dining

A lot of people want to do fine dining and that’s ok. But there is a certain charm to going to a quick, cash-only restaurant that hurries you to get out of the place. The atmosphere is electric and the food is almost always delicious.

Your choices are: Don Don versus Mercer

    Cooking classes

Who says Valentine’s day is the only day to take cooking classes? You can easily book this one to be done later and learn how to slow down, talk to each other and learn a great skill in return.

One word of caution: if you have just started dating and feel pressure to do something for Valentine’s Day, then don’t.

Do it because you want to, not because that’s what society dictates.

And most of all, if you are single this Valentine’s Day, then know that you are perfect, just the way you are. And loved by so many. But the one that loves you most, is the one that looks back at you in the mirror. Happy Valentine’s Day.

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