The Quiet Power of Self-Love: A Valentine's Day Reflection

Valentine's Day invites us to think about giving love. After exchanging a long career in medicine for visual art, I've come to see that self-love may be less about what we give and more about what we allow ourselves to receive.

The Body Knows What the Mind Forgets

For decades, I studied the digestive system; the coordinated waves of peristalsis that keep it in rhythm. When that rhythm falters, discomfort follows.

But rhythm isn't confined to one system. When mental rhythms remain constantly accelerated, burnout follows and clarity becomes harder to access.

When I began painting in retirement, something shifted. The constant forward-lean in my mind eased. What I felt was regulation and with it, a steadier calm.

What Flowers Teach Us About Receiving

Flowers don't strive. They receive light, water, and space and then they bloom.

Most high-achieving women I know aren't exhausted because they lack resilience. They're exhausted because their minds rarely allow them to rest. Regulation, not more effort, is often what restores us.

Botanic Symphony- Mixed media on camvas_12x12"

Mixed media layering that invites the eye to wander rather than rush. The bright magenta blooms command attention while subtle patterns underneath ask for slower discovery.

The spaces we inhabit either ask us to perform or allow us to settle. My floral works are environmental cues, subtle signals to your nervous system that it's safe enough to soften.

"Twilight Reflections”

The rose rests on water, perfectly still. Its reflection is both echo and companion. You don't have to hold yourself up alone. Sometimes, being witnessed, even by yourself is enough.

The Question Worth Asking

This Valentine's Day, before you ask who needs your love, pause and ask a quieter question:

Where in my life am I allowed to receive it?

Self-love isn't indulgence. It's how we return to ourselves.

So here's my question for you:

What bloom are you drawn to right now? The vibrant chaos of "Botanic Symphony" or the quiet contemplation of "Twilight Reflections”? Your answer might tell you exactly what your nervous system is asking for.

Reply and let me know. I read every message.

And if this Valentine's Day feels heavy... if you're giving to everyone but yourself... if you're wondering when it's finally your turn to receive... I see you. You can explore my full collection at www.vasutolia.art, or simply reach out. Sometimes we need permission from someone who's walked the path from constant doing to intentional being.

You have that permission.

Dr. Vasu Tolia
Physician turned Artist
Art That Transforms, Heals and Inspires