Bill Benson LMFT, LPCC has a suggestion to keep your Valentine Happy

1. February 8, 2016 – Editors Desk, Benson Valentine 365 MILLION CARDS FILLED WITH LOVE WILL REACH THAT SPECAIL PERSON THE 14 OF FEBRUARY. IS THAT THE ONLY DAY WE SHOULD SEND OUR LOVE? Bill Benson LMFT, LPCC has a suggestion to keep your Valentine happy… (all year around) Happy Valentine's Year When I visited the supermarket two weeks ago - the aisles were already adorned with pink-frosted cupcakes and floating heart-shaped balloons. I thought to myself: Don't they know these displays will be spoiled and deflated by the 14th? Clearly, this pre-holiday product-placement was a teaser designed to get us in the mood, so by Valentine's Day we are whipped into a candy and card shopping frenzy. Although the Groundhog had yet to see his shadow, our most infamous Hallmark holiday was already popping-up and peeking at us with dollar signs in its eyes. I imagined Marketing Department heads huddled together last autumn - scanning projections: "Why wait?" they plotted, "we can afford a little product-loss on February's front-end to promote a sure-thing come Valentine's Day." Perhaps I am needlessly painting villainous mustaches on Marketers: By-and-large I'm sure they're lovely people just doing their part to keep Consumerism pumping through America's veins. To their credit, their campaigns' long rollouts have unintentionally created a concept that is deliciously healthy: Page 1

2. Continued Bill Benson / Valentines 2/8/2016 Edition – Editors Desk Why not extend the Holiday? So, what about all-year-round love exposure? I'm not proposing a sizzling kind of passion, but rather, an unconditional, expectation-less, no-need-to-reciprocate positivity that exists in you (and in me, and in all of us).... Take a moment and ask yourself: What is my cost/benefit analysis for kindness? Does honorable behavior diminish my returns? In doing something nice, do I feel Super-sized? So, I would like to beat every advertiser to-the-punch in wishing you: "Happy Valentine's Year." Because, whatever form love takes, it feels good - and is good for you (No purchase necessary). *Join Love's campaign - Pass along this article to those you know: Kindness deserves to go "viral." Author Bill Benson, LMFT, LPCC is a Board Certified, Licensed Psychotherapist and Clinical Counselor. His company The Mental Gym has trained thousands to build, and then maintain emotional muscle and healthier perspectives. www.thementalgym.com