The Best Valentine's Day Gift Ever

It’s Valentine’s Day.

Twenty-five years ago, my boyfriend (now husband) gave me a red toolbox on our first Valentine’s Day and I cried.

This was the first test in our budding relationship.  When a girl expecting flowers and chocolates receives a toolbox, there’s bound to be some confusion. 

Once I cleared the tears of disappointment from my eyes, he tried to explain himself.  I realized very quickly that this toolbox was a grander gesture than it appeared.

What does love truly look like?

Advertising companies would have us believe that love is flashy and expensive.  Your person doesn’t really love you if they don’t buy you two dozen roses or sparkly jewelry. 

My red toolbox tells a different story.

This Valentine’s gift revealed deep thought, empathy, and intelligence.  It showed me my husband’s soul better than expensive dinners and chocolate truffles ever could.

That red toolbox was so significant because he was observant and focused on me, the person, not the holiday.

What did he observe?  Well, I had just purchased my first house, on my own.  I had bare walls and lots of plans.  He knew I didn’t have any tools to hang pictures or fix up the place.  He built me a new homeowner starter kit and poured all his love into this red toolbox.

Isn’t that amazing?

Flowers die.  Chocolates melt.  The greatest gift he could give is to see me.

That’s all any of us want, isn’t it?  To be seen.  To be understood.  To be thought about on a deeper level.

We don’t realize how much we are programmed to view the world through someone else’s expectations.  Commercials, movies, and store shelves exist to make money, not necessarily make us happy.  They don’t know us, but they try to convince us they know what we want.

I learned my lesson about allowing outside entities to dictate my happiness.  I’ll take the toolbox over a diamond bracelet any day, and especially on Valentine’s Day.

How can you see someone on a deeper level today?  And don’t forget to show yourself love this Valentine’s Day.

For more tips and tricks to Create Healthy Boundaries and Say NO With Confidence, download my free People Pleaser's Toolkit and begin practicing today.  

If you have questions about how Thoughtfully Selfish Coaching works, visit www.thoughtfullyselfish.com or if you are ready to talk 1:1 click here to schedule a 30-minute discovery chat with me.