Welcome to the “Songs To…” series on “Being In Tune!”

I’ll be heading to social media in search of your input for your go-to songs, ones that you listen to in different situations (like, when you’re relaxing, or when you’re sitting in traffic). Give me your feedback, share your thoughts, and become an even bigger part of this musical journey. I'll give four of your picks and one of my own.

Songs To... Make You Feel the Love

Ah, love is in the air, my friends. February is Valentine’s month, which means we’ve probably all been seeing flowers, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, and giant teddy bears in stores since January 2nd.

I won’t go on a tirade about how crazy the commercialization of holidays has become to me. I also won’t stand on a soapbox speaking about how partners and relationships should be nurtured and appreciated every day of the year, not just when the stores remind us to (though they 100% should). What I will say, is that we can all use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to reflect upon the universal feeling that is, love.

If you’re in a happy relationship, good for you!
I’m happy you found someone to enjoy your time with.

If you’re single and doing your own thing, good for you!
I’m happy you found someone to enjoy your time with.

No, you’re not seeing double, and Groundhog Day was last week. Read on…

Valentine’s Day can be a cute and kitschy way to celebrate how much you love someone, and honestly, I’m all for that. Make a nice dinner. Buy some delicious chocolates. Plan a special day with your S.O. Whatever floats your boat!

But if you think about it, you can do all of those things for yourself, too. Make yourself a nice dinner. Treat yourself to some delicious chocolates. Plan a special day for yourself. Because, why not? All I’m saying is, if we can give so much love to others, we should be able to give it to ourselves, too. If we feel we need an “excuse" to do so, why not use Valentine’s Day?

I myself am in a happy relationship, but being that my S.O. lives several thousand miles away, we won’t get the chance to spend Valentine’s Day together this year. Last February I tried (and failed) to send him a gift (i.e. I refused to spend the cost of a plane ticket to ship a box over to Dublin). Instead, I made him a video of a special song that makes me think of him.

Was it corny? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

It made me happy to take some time to do something nice for him even though we’re so far apart. In my opinion, time is one of the best gifts you can give to someone. It’s also one of the best gifts you can give to yourself.

You guys had some great picks for your favorite love songs, many of which made me swoon a little as I sang the tune in my head. As for me, I’m including two choices: one about loving your special someone, and one about loving yourself. Let the love in, y’all!

Your Picks:

“All Of Me”
John Legend

Beautiful video, beautiful couple, beautiful song.

“Better Place”
Rachel Platten

Some people just make your world a better place to be. (I’m not crying, you’re crying…)

“I Love You”
Todd Shea

A song for that one person you’d do anything for.

“Tenerife Sea”
Ed Sheeran

When a single moment is enough to keep you captivated in love.

My Picks

“Video”
India.Arie

This song is my jam and has been since I first heard it almost 10 years ago. I've always dug India.Arie and this song, in particular, is an awesome reminder of how important (and easy!) it is to love yourself. It reminds me that it's okay to do something that "feels good in my soul," even if it's not the most responsible or productive choice.

Some days, cooking shows just have to come before laundry, no matter how high my pile of clothes is. And you know what? That's okay. If it feeds my soul, then I try to do it as often as possible. Simple, right?

"No Fear of Heights"
Katie Melua

Now to get a little sappy on you… One of my favorite things about Ben and my relationship is the support and encouragement we have for each other in everything that we do, both independently and together. I’ve literally climbed mountains I never thought I could climb, and I mean literally— we climbed a mountain once, it was crazy.

This song speaks to that, saying that love and support from someone can make it feel a lot easier to overcome your obstacles. Knowing someone has your back can be all the push you need to conquer your fears. I’m really lucky to know that my Valentine does exactly that for me.

Share your favorite love songs in The Whatismyhealth Community group, or in the comments at the bottom of the page!

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