5 easy ways to be a valentine all year

source: LilyandVal

So... Valentine's Day is coming for us, ready or not.  Maybe you have a dinner or a gift or an outing all planned out for your SO.  Good for you!  You're an awesome Valentine.  Here's five ways you can be an awesome Valentine all year.  And five things I still need to work on.  (Insert a quip about practicing what you preach here...)

1.  Embrace each other's interests - Steven and I have wildly different hobbies.  When he's playing video games, I'm reading or writing or indulging in a few DIY projects that leave glitter all over the house.  When he talks to me about cars, he usually gets a deer-in-headlights look, because I honestly have no idea what he's talking about.  But we try to encourage each other's interests.  I like a lot of nerdy, weird things that I get judged a lot for, but he's never judged me for my interests, and I love him for that.

2.  Do little things for each other - I like presents and flowers as much as the next girl, but when Steven brings home little snacks or drinks from the store that he knows I like, it just brightens up my whole day.  Like, he knows that I like owls, so every time he sees something owl-themed in a store, he points it out to me.  Insta-mood lift.  Sometimes it's not the big gestures but the small ones that are the most romantic.  ...Just don't tell Steven I said that.

3.  Be their person - Be there when they need you to be there.  If they're having an emergency, and we all have one from time to time, you're the one that drops everything to be there for them.

4.  Think before you speak - Think about if what you're saying to you sweetie is kind.  Sometimes things slip out of my mouth and as soon as they do, I think to myself... "Did I really just say that??"  Those cringe worthy moments have me thinking before I speak these days, just so I can avoid them.  I mean, I still have them.  But hopefully, I have less of them now.

5.  Lift them up - Everyone needs a cheerleader.  Tell your person that you appreciate what they do for you, or that they, I don't know, clean the gutters well or something.  It doesn't matter.  People don't get complimented very often, so at least make sure your love gets one from you every day.