I have found myself beginning to view this Valentine’s Day with the same scrutinizing perspective as I had for this last Christmas: “If I close my eyes and plug my ears hard enough, maybe just maybe this god forsaken holiday will pass without me even recognizing a glimmer of its existence”

Don’t get me wrong, I am no scrooge. In fact — I love Christmas and all the other ‘ooey gooey’ love based holidays. But when you are stricken with the adversity of the oh-so-silent-heart stomping-soul murderer called a broken heart, anything standing in my way that so much as resembled “heartwarming” was in danger of my ninja roundhouse kick. And I happen to be a pretty damn good ninja.

We all have our opinion of Valentine’s Day and what it means to us. For many it is accepted as a silly little ruse created by Hallmark to get us to buy their red and pink crap. For those fortunate few it is the one day set aside where you and your love can wine and dine over linen and candlelight and feel gratitude for having love or at the very least- someone to sit across from this year. And then there exists the remaining assembly who shudder at the thought of the impending gloominess brought on by February 14th only to serve as a reminder that we are still unsuccessful and fruitless at that whole love thing.

Why does it have to be this looming shoulder tap of our missed success? Can’t we allow all of the hearts and candy and “Be Mines” to be reminiscent of all of our current successes in love? I have an awesome family. I have wonderful sisters with the planet’s coolest kids. Aren’t I successful at being an equally cool and totally loved aunty? Because I have to admit that I pretty much am! I have been blessed with some seriously unwavering kick ass friends/ co-ninjas! And if the last few months of my manic requirement for their affection didn’t surface the best in those friendships — I don’t know what will.

And what about the greatest love? Self love. I am talking about really showing up for yourself as your greatest comrade and ally when you needed it the most. Have we not been this for ourselves at one point or another recently? So, in spirit of all the pink, chocolate, flowers, balloons etc, couldn’t we waltz into February 14th with a new perspective and celebrate all of the incredible love we do have rather than focus on the alternate? In my personal experience these are the relationships that have proved themselves to prevailed through the shaky ground, landslides and avalanches. Those are the ones that truly deserve to be celebrated on the only day of the year that has been placed aside for love- and deservingly should be celebrated again- every single (pun intended) day.

Happy day of love, y’all!

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Keileen Dillon is a fun, playful, life enthusiast and yogi. She has been living in and enjoying all that Colorado has to offer since 1998. Full time, Keileen works as part of the accounting team for the corporate office of a large local yoga company. Keileen really brings her shine and playfulness on when she steps out of the office and walks barefoot into the various yoga studios she also guides at. When Keileen is not working or in a yoga studio (on or off her mat) she can be found snowboarding, hiking, or dancing to live music. “Reading and learning about the amazing process and energy pull of the universe and the bond of our own energy and  intentions is something that really captures my interest day in and day out. It is that belief that helps me to live my life as authentically as possible. It is why I teach yoga and continue to work to deepen my practice and study more about its foundations. It is on the mat, in nature, and in my writing that I find I am my most authentic self.” Keileen is a licensed RYT since 2009. Has studied Chakra, Yoga Anatomy and is always a curious student of life. She can be contacted at [email protected]