0:00Episode 3973, the sweetness that melts the heart. Moms, it's time to rediscover, rejuvenate, and renew whom you are in mind, body, and spirit. Welcome to Create Your Now, Your Best Selfie, the show that help you do just that. Here's your host, Certified Life Coach, Personal Trainer, and Nutritionist, Christian Wardo. Happy every day. I hope you're ready for a fabulous weekend. You have some sunshine, maybe you have some rain too, but you know what? I would take rain any day or snow at ice. Just say it. I am ready for spring. How about you? Well, first we have to jump into this Happy Valentine's Day. I pray your heart is full of love, and it is our couple day. Yes, it is. The sweetness that melts the heart. For those of you who are brand new to Create Your Now, welcome to the Stungrable Family. I'm so delighted of your presence. If you already even had the opportunity, you want to head on to CreateYourNow.com where you can learn more and sign up for the Kisses newsletter. They keep it simple strategy, everyday solutions, to live, love, and impact.

1:03Well, this episode is brought to you by AIM, Inspiring Connection, and Community. What is Valentine's Day? And so if you're like, oh man, I totally lost track of the calendar. That's okay, deep breath. You can still do something, and you don't have to go out and buy anything. In fact, listen to this episode and it might give you a few ideas, because honestly, when you hear sweetness and love, your mind probably just jumps straight to chocolates and flowers and sparkly gifts. And yeah, because that's the story commercials love to tell us. The more you spend, the brighter your love shines, right? Come on, you know the commercials I'm referring to. And if you haven't seen any lately, you probably did during the Super Bowl just enough, right? I don't even have to name the brands. But you see, the sweetness that melts the heart isn't wrapped in paper or tagged with a price. It's something far rare, deeper, and more powerful. That's the real sweetness that comes from the raw, vulnerable place inside. The one that says, I see you, babe. I choose you, sweetheart. I cherish what's

2:09only ours. I mean, just think about that for a moment. If you were to write that down, I see you, I choose you, I cherish what's only ours. Three little sentences written on something beautiful or not, maybe written on the mirror, maybe dropped and left underneath the pillowcase. I don't know or in the bedsheets, whatever floats your boat. But if you think about what that really means and the depth of that goes, it's going to stop you in your tracks. It would stop you, right? If your spouse gave that to you and said, I see you, I choose you, I cherish what's only ours. Because it's only the two of you, the intimate parts of your life, the crazy hassles of your life, the chaos that only you all can create, right? The family of like, well, yeah, we've got one of those two. I know it's crazy, but it's only yours. And that's what makes it so incredibly amazing.

3:18And it's a blessing. So this Valentine's Day, I don't want you to think about matching the world's expectations or out doing the last Instagram couple. Don't do that because all they're trying to do is get sponsorships. Let's be real, okay? I mean, I know we're all about making money, but sometimes you've got to spend a little more time on what really matters the heart. So it's about turning your attention from the noise, the flashy gestures and the should-do's to what genuinely feeds your connection between the two of you. Imagine what would happen if instead of chasing the next big thing, whatever it is, even the next big diamond, you know, maybe you got a recorder, a half a carrot, when you got married and now you're thinking three carrots would be great. Okay, that's fine. You can chase that next big thing. But what instead, if you created moments, only the two of you understand, moments that become a private treasure, no one else can touch.

4:25That is your kiss to keep a simple strategy, craft a private treasure. Doesn't that sound just like adventurous? I'm all in. It's like sign me up for an adventure and this adventure doesn't have to cost money. Oh no, it doesn't. You know how you watch sports and they have all these crazy handshakes, especially in football. Now I know football season's over. I get it. The Super Bowl's past and you're probably still, you know, haven't really gotten over the result. Or maybe if you did win, you're like all about it. Regardless, they got these cool handshake moves, right? What if you had one of those crazy things? What have you had a funky dance to a new and upcoming music that your kids will listen to? And then all of a sudden, when they're around, you just start doing that funky little dance. And now look at you like what has gotten into mom and dad. Oh my goodness, what's the issue here? And you're like, aha, it's called love. It's our private treasure trove. And only we got it. It just seems so like, yes, right? I mean, it just puts a smile on your face.

5:26We need that kind of adventure in our life and you get to craft that. You get to say, yes, I want to do this. And so make this Valentine's Day extra special, not in a manner as to you go to the store and you got to go get those roses. By the way, you don't have to have red roses. You can buy another color. I'm just saying, guys, if you're listening, you don't have to have just red roses. Give her yellow, give her purple, whatever it is. Make it unique for your wife, right? And oh, my women out there, I'm telling you, make it unique for your husband. Maybe it's fixing his most delicious, lovely steak that he just like, all he does is say, you make the best steak ever. I know you don't want to cook it like that. That's not fair. But guess what? If that speaks to your sweetheart, why wouldn't you? Seriously? You know, you can go out to dinner any night of the week, anytime.

6:26But make this night extra special, right? And by the way, maybe you guys are traveling or maybe something else is happening. Then celebrate Valentine's Day on a different day. You don't have to do it today. And you can do it tomorrow or next week or the next week, whatever works for you. But what I want you to get from all of this is to craft a private treasure that only the two of you can truly love together. So what does it look like in real life? Number one, listen, like it's the easiest thing in the world. Listen. Oh, if only, right? Forget multitasking. Forget this half hearing things. I go, wait, wait, what did you say? Or the sentence has already gone by and you're like, and I totally missed that. Will you tell me that again? Really? Stop. If you hear your spouse's voice, everything else should go quiet unless there's a blood or a flood happening. Okay? Seriously. So true sweetness is showing up fully hearing the unsaid,

7:29noticing the small shifts in the tone and the energy. I mean, if they're like, oh, my goodness, this day has been absolutely horrific. Notice that because maybe something that you had planned, maybe it's not a good time to do it or you want to talk to him about something and you're like, oh, maybe now it's not the time. Yeah, exactly. Maybe now it's not the time. But you've got to notice those small shifts. When you listen deeply, your spouse feels seen and safe. And that's the kind of richness no store can provide. I don't care how big that rock is on your finger or around your neck or maybe it'd say sparkly new car or maybe in my case a new guitar. Rhymes with car, but it's a guitar. Yeah, no, it doesn't even matter in that. You want to listen like it's the easiest thing in the world because let me tell you words

8:32connect. Number two, create private rituals that echo your story. And this is what I was telling you about earlier. Instead of mimicking a checklist of date ideas, build those rituals that speak to your history together. Maybe it's that little cute sweet dance. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Why not? Whatever's kind of funky and in groove. Why not do something to that? Because you know, whoever you're around, maybe you go out with a few couples, you know, every couple weeks or whatever or you show up at church or you're doing something out in the community, whatever it is. And then this song comes on. All of a sudden you can just kind of look at each other like, yeah, yeah, we got this. You want to go do it? Okay, let's go. And you just have your moment. Or even if it's a song that's kind of new and groovy, you just kind of look at each other kind of chuckle and people be like, what are you chuckling about? Oh, you know, we just came up with this crazy thing. It just drives our children bonkers and the dogs how, but we have a blast. We just love coming together. Now, see that's something that's special and unique that only the two of you can give each other.

9:34Right? Also, another idea. Maybe you've got a Sunday morning coffee and you love coffee. Now, I don't so don't make me coffee. But seriously, for your spouse, if they love coffee, to make that Sunday morning coffee exactly how your spouse loves it. Or you know what? You can have that secret handshake that I was telling you about with the football games. Yeah, now that would take me too long. Honestly, I think I'd rather do music, but that's just me. Now, I get it. These seemingly small acts become emotional investments. And you may be thinking, that's just little stuff. No, it's not. It's little stuff that has big impact and it grows sweet every single time you share them. And that's what's cool. And then pretty soon you know what happens. You create a library and it's so much fun because then the kids are like, seriously, mom and dad, get a room. And then I don't even know what that term is. In fact, that probably just dated me. Right? Yeah, get a room. Yeah, I know. If you're too young to understand that terminology, then you know I'm old enough to be, well, we won't talk about that. We'll leave that one for another

10:38episode. You know, my friend life doesn't wait. Every moment you spend chasing the shiny and predictable moment, right? Every single time you're going after it, it's a moment. You're not deepening the one thing money can't buy because you're chasing the wrong stuff. You want to have a heart that keeps learning to love your person better. The person that God gave you. I know that person is not perfect. I'm not. My husband isn't. I mean, yeah, I know. I'm just like, hmm, but let me tell you this with a lot of hard work, you can celebrate many, many, many years. We celebrate 36 years together today. Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart. I love you even more than when I first laid eyes on you. And it's true. My love has deepened over time. And it's not because he's perfect. It's not because he's done everything right. It's not because he's bought me gifts or he's given me everything that I've wanted. The answer that is, has he? No. But the one thing

11:45he's given me is his whole heart. So drop the script. Everyone else is reading and rewrite your own. Celebrate your love with the sweetness that's not a costume or decoration, but a living, breathing bond only the two of you can share. That's the sweetness that melts the heart. So I want to leave you with a poem that hopefully will make this all a little sticky and extra sweet too. Sweetness beyond the gift. Not in wrapped boxes, ribbons tight, nor price tags gleaming in the light. Sweetness blooms where silence speaks in quiet moments between heartbeats. It's in the look the knowing glance, the secret laugh, the stolen dance, not found in what the world demands but held within your trembling hands. To listen truly deep and slow, where whispered truce like rivers flow, a ritual shaped by just two souls,

12:49a love that mends and quietly holds. Vulnerability, the bravest art, the naked sharing of your heart, beyond the flash the grand parade and simple grace a bond is made. So turn your eyes from worldly show. Find what only you both know. A sweetness rich none can divide. The treasure of love found deep inside. Go in peace. Be present. Be incredible. Be you. I love you so very much. I cannot wait to see you on the other side. Blessing's hugs and lots and lots of love. We'll talk to you real soon. Have a glorious blessed weekend. Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day. Bye-bye. And remember, always be sure you consult your physician before beginning any health and fitness