You are worth it.

It’s that time of year when kids and adults are preparing their valentines—little gestures meant to show care. It got me thinking about one Valentine's Day, when I received a gift I didn’t expect:

An empty box of candy hearts.

Still sealed. Still packaged. But completely hollow.

The person who gave it had good intentions. He wanted me to have the sweet gesture, even if the box itself came with nothing inside. I laughed it off in the moment, rationalizing why it made sense. He tried. He's busy. No big deal. Let it go.

But deep down, it hurt. Because that empty box—whether he meant it or not—reflected a truth about our relationship I hadn’t yet admitted to myself: I was accepting less than I deserved.

Maybe we’ve all had our own version of this story. How often do we all accept metaphorical empty boxes of hearts in our lives - whether in relationships, friendships, or even how we show up for ourselves? 

Like accepting an empty box of candy hearts, we settle for relationships that appear sweet on the outside, but lack the substance needed to sustain meaningful connection. We tell ourselves it’s okay or enough, when deep down, we crave more. 

Like accepting an empty box of candy hearts, we may stay quiet about unspoken needs or expectations. We neglect ourselves and each other, leaving a feeling of emptiness we can’t quite understand. 

So if you’ve been settling for empty gestures, consider this your sign: you don’t have to anymore.

You deserve more than the appearance of love, care, or connection. You deserve the real thing—in every part of your life.

Bottom line: It’s not selfish to want a love that feels full. It’s not unreasonable to expect reciprocal effort, consistency, and presence. In fact, it's foundational for real connection and love to grow.

Your worth isn’t tied to anyone else’s ability to show up for you.

You are absolutely worth a full f*cking box of hearts—and then some.