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February brings a familiar feeling of love in the air. Blame it on Valentine’s Day, or post-New Year holiday withdrawals, but we can easily find ourselves feeling in need of some extra TLC to perk up our daily lives. Whether you live to give, or indulge in receiving, it’s a great time to connect with yourself and your partner.  Connecting within means opening the heart chakra, the energy center of the body responsible for our emotions. Chakra is the Sanskrit word for “wheel”, and describes the life force within the body. Each chakra is associated with elements and corresponds with major nerve centers and endocrine glands. The goal is to enhance and strengthen the energy flow to support optimal well-being and good vibes. The Anahata or Heart chakra, is associated with the air element, identifies with the color green and sits at the center of the chest above the actual heart. Physically, the heart chakra is linked to the thymus gland and is responsible for the circulatory and lymphatic systems. Emotionally, the heart chakra radiates and cultivates compassion, connection, love and acceptance. When it is unbalanced or blocked, we find an inability to let go of the past, a resistance to forgive, and we live in a place filled with fear of rejection, vulnerability and lacking in connection with yourself and others. Since the spotlight is on love, now is a great time to attract love into your life and heal any old wounds standing in your way.

One simple way to connect with your heart center is to practice gratitude and forgiveness. Keeping a gratitude journal has been proven to be as effective as other forms of mindfulness like meditation. Neuroscience studies show that putting pen to paper and physically writing in your own hand is more effective than typing thoughts and feelings on a keyboard. It forces our brains to slow down and be more intentional about what we think and put into existence. Further, the tactile and kinesthetic act of physically writing triggers the release of different neurotransmitters in the brain. The best time to journal? Upon waking in the AM before you get distracted by to-do lists, social media, chores and the cascading list of things that give us excuses to procrastinate. Simultaneously, reflect on any stagnant energy or anger you might be holding onto. Grudges and petty feelings close the heart and stunt your spiritual growth. You’d be amazed at how freeing it is to just let go.

Establishing a self-care routine is key for inviting love into your life. The more we love ourselves, everything in our life improves from relationships, health, sleep and happiness levels. Go for a massage to connect with and love yourself. A warm oil massage can feel really soothing and ease out any tension or stiffness in the body that also affects our mood and mental state. If you’re in a relationship, giving your partner a massage is a powerful gesture to connect in an intentional way. Research shows how powerful touch is and how healing it is to be touched by another person, especially one that we love.

On the topic of relationships, if you have a partner it’s a really good time to slow down and listen more than you speak. Give them your undivided attention instead of inserting automatic cues that you’re following their speech. Be impressed rather than trying to impress. We often get so caught up in trying to show off our skills and achievements when what people really crave is someone cheering them on and celebrating their accomplishments. It’s certainly not to minimize your wins, but more to create space for your significant other to feel valued and boost their confidence.

One thing that ruins confidence and self-love? Comparison. Stop comparing yourself. This sounds easy but is actually super hard to do in practice. It’s important to remember we are all on different paths and have different needs and desires. Comparison is a lose-lose situation and a vicious cycle whether it’s about looks, life milestones, or work achievements. We never think about the other side of what’s going on in someone’s life, because usually we’re fed the edited social media version. Even the most picture perfect life has a dark side, fear and insecurities. We have our own journey and we rarely know the truth about someone’s else’s. Detox from social media accounts that don’t feel inspiring or leave you feeling like crap. Spending less time on any media in general is really nourishing for the soul. You’ll also find you have more time to spend on something that uplifts you, or with supportive friends instead of competitive ones.

Opening the heart chakra means practicing and fostering the passions of your heart. Asking yourself and recognizing what makes you happy, and dedicating your time to those activities or hobbies will help you vibrate on a higher level. You really want to tune in and ask yourself what it is that brings you joy.  Try to pause instead of giving a response you’ve been conditioned to give or what you think other people will like the sound of. Following your true passions is a powerful way to really give yourself what you need. Whether you can build your passions into a career, or follow them as hobbies, incorporating the things that give you joy on a daily basis is the best way to connect with your heart.

Want to feel an immediate shift? Try earthing. Also known as grounding, in practice it means getting outside and walking barefoot on a natural surface such as grass, soil or sand. The instant contact with the Earth’s surface electrons creates an energy transfer between the body and the ground. Our body’s make their own electricity in the form of positively charged portions, negatively charged electrons, and neutrally charged neurons all coexisting inside of us. Without getting too technical, modern technology is capable of throwing that electrical balance off kilter. Further, the effects of toxin exposure, pollutants and free radicals (unpaired positive ions) from EMFs wreak havoc on our health. Just stepping on a patch of grass releases negative ions from the earth’s surface to release free radicals we’ve been accumulating in our modern lives. Apart from re balancing your energy field, earthing improves sleep, fights depression and anxiety, and reduces inflammation. Connecting with the elements doesn’t have to be complicated. Take a barefoot stroll at your local park, nap in the grass or go for a walk along the beach by the water’s edge. The five elements found in nature are the same ones that make up our bodies according to Ayurveda, so it’s no surprise that we feel truly at peace and connected to ourselves when we’re in nature.

When thinking about opening the heart chakra, it’s impossible to not mention affirmations and meditations. Repeat affirmations related to love and healing such as, “I invite love into my life”, “My heart is open to love”, “My true essence is love” or anything that resonates with you. Meditating on these affirmations goes deeper on a cellular level, creating abundance from the inside out. Carve out just ten minutes each morning and if you can swing it, in the evenings too before bed for truly transformative results.

Did you know that there are specific yoga poses designed to open the heart? Some studios even theme classes towards ‘heart openers’- they’re so effective in shifting your mood and leave you feeling blissed out and compassionate. Try an at home yoga practice featuring heart openers like camel pose, wheel, cobra, and other backbends. Even just sitting quietly with your hands in prayer at the center of your chest will help you connect within.

Open the heart chakra and attract loving energy with stones. Carry a rose quartz in your purse or keep one by your bed to encourage their energy frequencies to stay in your orbit. Other crystals associated with the heart chakra include green stones such as jade, green tourmaline or green aventurine as they correspond with the colors of the heart chakra and thus dissolve energy blocks. Every so often, recharge your stones by leaving them overnight to bathe under the light of a full moon. If you miss a full moon, don’t worry, the night before and after are also powerful in recharging the energies of your stones.

Loving yourself includes feeding your body with healthy and organic ingredients to feel nourished and energized. However, there are a few specific foods that have been proven to have aphrodisiac qualities, although the list may surprise you. Celery for example stimulates the pituitary gland in the brain which helps to release sex hormones. Who knew such an innocent vegetable could spice things up? Celery in fact boasts two chemicals, androsterone and Androstenediol which stimulate sexual desire. Spices such as ginger boost testosterone and circulation. Chili peppers are a natural aphrodisiac because they release endorphins, our feel-good hormone. No wonder some cultures seem totally addicted to spicy food! The humble beetroot contains nitric oxide which allows your blood vessels to dilate, increasing circulation to your sexual organs and boosting sexual performance. Not a fan of Beets? Strawberries and blueberries have a similar effect of opening up blood vessels and increasing circulation with their antioxidant theophylline. Not to mention being high in vitamin C increases sperm count. Fitting with the theme for the month of love, dark chocolate is one of the sexiest things you can eat (or feed your partner). It’s heavy in compounds such as phenylalanine, which helps to stimulate sex hormones, and also stimulates dopamine in the brain, adding to the feel-good factor.

There’s no excuse to neglect yourself or your partner during the month of love. Better yet, make every month full of love and joy by incorporating these easy tips into your lifestyle. Because who doesn’t want to feel loved up and connection any time of the year?