Love is in the air, and no, it's not just the whiff of heart-shaped chocolates.

Sure, we've got a few gift ideas but we’ll also dive into self-love: Marcia Drut-Davis shares how she learned to cultivate healthy pride and MacK discusses the art of rejection resilience. Valentine's Day is not just for couples; it's a time to celebrate the fabulous, independent, childfree YOU!

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Inside Today’s Edition 🦋 

• Challenging Pronatalism with Grace: From Unhealthy to Healthy Pride 

• V-Day: What to Give, What to Get

• Rejection Therapy

• Wellness: The Gift of Balance

• Web Gems: The Best Curated For You

Read time: 3-4 minutes

LIFESTYLE

Challenging Pronatalism with Grace: From Unhealthy to Healthy Pride

By Marcia Drut-Davis

It was 1974. I was 34. I sat staring at the TV. I felt frustration and shock. Mike Wallace, a moderator from the world-acclaimed TV news show “60 Minutes” ended the segment with: “Pardon our perversion for airing this on Mother’s Day! Good night, everyone.”

Wait, what?! Did he say “perversion”?

Were people going to think I was a perverse woman choosing not to have children and feeling pride in that choice? Something started building inside of me that felt acerbic, angry, and defensive.

It got worse.

The next day, I lost my job as a dedicated, loving teacher. My then-husband mentioned I may have contributed to the demise of my career by allowing that interview. He never felt a day of wrath. I, on the other hand, faced death threats, was blacklisted from teaching, and saw picketing when I spoke with signs that read, “Godless Bitch!” I was thrown into the ugly abyss of pronatalism.

WHAT TO GIVE, WHAT TO GET

For Couples
Gift this adorable personalized Spotify picture frame or these 40 scratch off Date Ideas cards — a gift that keeps on giving. Play the We’re Not Really Strangers game with fun prompts that lead to remarkable insights. Book a rustic luxury houseboat in Key West — it only sleeps 2.

For Yourself
Invite friends over to master a delicious meal with help from The Chef & The Dish and then stream the childfree documentary My So-Called Selfish Life. Subscribe to the Allure Beauty Box, handpicked by their editors. Or discover your next adult-only destination by drilling down on the Childfree Map.

For Anyone
Prepare a cannabis cocktail with Proof Balanced Drops or mix drops with essential oils in the bathtub. Then enjoy a delicious night of sleep.

Rejection Therapy 💙 

We know that dreaming alone won't get us that dream job, dream partner, or dream life, but fear of that two-letter monster – 'no' – paralyzes us.

Our friend MacK Seale, founder of Merry Maker, wrote a killer primer on how to master the art of asking. She’s here to show us how to ask for help, a date, a dollar, a refund, feedback, a meeting, a vacation, a discount, a promotion, a relationship, and an introduction.

When you embrace rejection as a colossal life hack, you can fulfill your life dreams by asking.

WELLNESS

The Gift of Balance

Ever wondered how well you can channel your inner flamingo? Turns out, a powerful predictor of your potential lifespan lies in a simple test—how long you can gracefully stand on one foot.

Forget crystal balls; researchers found that one-legged balancing is the real deal when it comes to foreseeing how many candles you'll blow out on your next birthday cake. Where do you stack up?

Under 40: 45 seconds with eyes open, 15 seconds with eyes closed
40-49: 42 seconds open, 13 seconds closed
50-59: 41 seconds open, 8 seconds closed
60-69: 32 seconds open, 4 seconds closed
70-79: 22 seconds open, 3 seconds close

Regardless of how long you can last now, you can improve your balance. Practice yoga, tai chi or pilates — or stand on one leg while your coffee brews.

WEB GEMS

Revenge of the Introverts: They forced us to stay home and now we prefer it. We’re living in an introvert economy. 

Neurodiverse Travel: WanderRock organizes global small group escapades for neuro-diverse adults navigating High Functioning Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, and more.

2024 F&B Trends: Here’s what the experts at Food & Wine say we’ll be eating and drinking this year.

World’s Oldest Friendship: If you’re a dog lover, you will enjoy the anthology of essays in Dog is My Co-Pilot, which explores our relationships with our favorite muses, mentors, and spiritual guides.

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