Friday the 13th & Valentines Mindful Moments

.SS&H Mindful Reads

Happy Friday the 13th. 🖤
And tomorrow? Valentine’s Day… or Galentine’s Day… or simply Saturday.

Let’s be honest.

Friday the 13th gets blamed for everything.
Valentine’s Day gets romanticized beyond reality.

One is “unlucky.”
The other is “supposed to be perfect.”

Both are just days.

You don’t have to fear one.
You don’t have to perform for the other.

You’re allowed to move through both with steadiness.

Mental Health

Mental Health: Superstition, Pressure, and Your Nervous System

Friday the 13th can stir up that low hum of “something might go wrong.”

Valentine’s Day can stir up:

• Loneliness
• Pressure
• Comparison
• Expectations

Here’s what’s real:

Your nervous system reacts to meaning — not just events.

If today feels tense, ask:
Am I reacting to reality?
Or to a story I’ve absorbed?

You don’t need luck to get through today.
And you don’t need romance to be worthy tomorrow.

If you had to do something hard this week — speak up, set a boundary, tell the truth — and now your body feels braced?

That’s not bad luck.

That’s your system adjusting after courage.

Remind yourself:

• I can be steady even if others are emotional.
• I can let today just be a day.
• Love is not measured by gifts or status.
• I am already enough.

Mindful Moments

Mindful Moment: Ground Before the Weekend

Pause for one minute.

Unclench your jaw.
Drop your shoulders.
Place one hand on your chest.

Breathe in for 4.
Hold for 4.
Exhale for 6.

Say quietly:

Tomorrow, whether it’s Valentine’s or Galentine’s, add:

No superstition.
No pressure.
Just presence.

Book Nook

If you’re leaning into self-compassion this weekend, you might enjoy:

​The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown— A reminder that you don’t have to perform worthiness.

​Attached by Amir Levine — Insight into relationship patterns and why certain days trigger more than others.

​The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff — Because sometimes the wisest approach is simple presence.

Giveaways & Freebies

My book Living Gluten Free With Less Stress is Free on Amazon Kindle until Feb 14th

DreamBuilt Books is giving away a kids ebook called Celebrate was on a free promotion, not sure of end date.

Humor

😄 Humor (Because It’s Friday the 13th)

If something minor goes wrong today, try saying:

“Ah yes. Classic Friday the 13th behavior.”

Spilled coffee?
Friday the 13th.

WiFi glitch?
Friday the 13th.

Forgot where you put your phone while holding it?
Definitely Friday the 13th.

Tomorrow, if expectations get dramatic, you can say:

“Ah yes. Classic Valentine’s Day marketing.”

See? We’re reclaiming both days.

Got any “funnies” you’ve found on the internet lately? Send ‘em my way.

Laurie,

Want more from us?

​Read our latest blog posts.

​Join Our Community​

• I’m looking forward to connecting with you all. Let’s create a space for growth, healing, and support. 💙