Valentine’s Day Mississippi Mud cake

Valentine’s Day is a time when our thoughts turn to love and romance and time with that special person. It’s a once a year chocolate and red rose festival and maybe Mississippi Mud cake.

A time to show that special person that we love and care for them. It’s an outward-looking acknowledgement of gratitude to the one who is always there for us.

But what about the special person that has always been with you. That has always loved and cared for you. Been there through all the bad times and enjoyed all your joyous times? You!

What about looking inside to that special person – yourself

When was the last time you took a moment to acknowledge your self-worth and say thank you to yourself for who you are?

If you’re like most, you’ve rarely taken time to tell yourself that you love ‘You’, just for who you are, with all of your human, not quite perfect traits.

It seems to me we live in a society where it is not acceptable to consider Me first. It’s seen as selfish and narcissistic. Yet if we fail to look after Me then there is nothing to give or share with others.

How kind are you to yourself?

A while ago I started taking notice of how I talk to myself? To my surprise, I say a lot of very unkind things to Me and seem to think it’s ok. I found myself berating Me in language I would never use outwardly to others.

This made me think, “Why is it ok to beat myself up?”

Why should I treat Me with less respect and value than I show to others? If I’m not someone I love why would another love me?

The more I reflected on the poor treatment of me the more I realised that I had to find ways to show love and caring to Me for my wellbeing. But “life is so busy there’s no time to waste on Me”, I heard from inside. This is when I decided I needed to find ways to enrich my Me Time that I could fit into my busy life.

Enriching my MeTime

I realised that my cuppa break was a little mini opportunity to stop the rushing around, catch my breath and just be in the moment with myself. A time with no should, could or judgements. A time to just be and observe how I was and what was around me. To mindfully take a breather for a few minutes and care of me.

The more I built this practice into my cuppa break the more I wanted to make it special just for me. I started to use the beautiful fine china for Me rather than wait until I had company.

I decided I like home-baked cake and I just want a little, so I created small scales recipes of cakes I like. Not what was fashionable in fancy cookbooks or magazines.

I began to create cake recipes for my taste, made with ingredients I like and not skipping ingredients because others didn’t care for them.

I set a tray with a lovely teapot and a plate that delighted me then savoured the whole baking process, as I was spoiling Me for a brief time in a busy life.

That’s how the just4Me Bake Club was formed. It’s a way of sharing with others my collection of cakes sized just4Me that over the last few years have truly enriched my Me Time.

I used to say “I’d love to bake but it’s not worth the effort ‘cause there’s just me.”

Now I bake ‘cause there is just me and I need a little love and gratitude. A little spoiling and that all ok.

How do I talk to myself now?

With a lot more love and respect.

How do I feel about the world? I‘m a much happier and kinder friend, daughter, aunt, neighbour.

I still bake and share with others and when I do I bake to their likes and dislikes, but my greatest joy is making my favourite cake, my favourite cuppa and taking a few moments in my favourite nook of the garden, to say I love me just as I am.

On Valentine’s Day when the world is talking love, romance, chocolates and roses I’m going to take a little Me Time and bake my favourite love cake for Me… my version of a Mississippi Mud cake with chocolate ganache topping.

What’s your favourite cake?

Like the recipe for my Mississippi Mud cake?

It is available as part of the just4 Bake Club. A collection of over 30 cake recipes and 5 hours of television quality tutorials, all sized just4Me… and a little to share.

Like to see a free episode? Click here.

Happy Valentine’s Day to the most important person in your life…. You… ‘cos you’re worth it!