Valentine’s Day can be rough for some of us singles out there and amazing for others. Actually some of my most memorable Valentine’s Day experiences were the ones when I was single. For instance, a few years ago I did a road trip with a friend from Texas to California on Valentine’s Day. I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day, mainly because I feel couples should be celebrating and appreciating their love consistently. But I do enjoy the fact that Valentine’s Day can be a holiday where we spend time loving ourselves and showing love and appreciation towards our loved ones. Before I go into ways that you can happily spend Valentine’s Day as a single, please read the three common beliefs you need to get rid of when celebrating Valentine’s Day solo.
- Don’t associate being single with being worthless. Valentine’s Day can be rough, especially for the recently single, because you might feel like you are lacking something in your life by not having a date or partner on Valentine’s Day. Your life is not lacking. Your life is valuable and worthwhile whether you are single or in a relationship. Don’t let your relationship status dictate your internal worth.
- Loving yourself is the best kind of love. I firmly believe that true love with another person is very difficult to find. Many couples you meet may not be in healthy relationships. Real love is difficult to find for everyone, but finding real love within yourself is what truly matters. Focus on loving yourself and creating a life you can love and be happy with.
- Romantic love doesn’t solve your problems. Some of us believe that our lives would be better if we had a relationship on Valentine’s Day. Instead of focusing on the real issues in your life, you are focusing on the fact that you are single. When you become too focused on your relationship status, you lose sight of the real issues in your life.
Here are some ways you can enjoy Valentine’s Day as a single this year.
- Have dinner with your family or friends. Go out and have fun with the loved ones who are in your life. This doesn’t need to be a themed single’s night either. You can just go out and have a fun night with people you love.
- Treat yourself to a gift, spa or massage day. Thankfully you don’t have to dish out a ton of cash on a date or partner. Instead treat yourself to a guilty pleasure. Go ahead and get a new wardrobe or that new gadget you’ve been eying. If you are feeling a bit down during this holiday, then a massage or spa day will get you in a happier mood.
- Go on a trip solo or with friends. Try to go on a holiday somewhere new and exciting if you can. You don’t need to travel overseas either. Maybe there’s a place up the coast or a new city in driving distance that you’d like to check out. Invite some of your single friends along so that you can all create new and exciting memories together. If you can’t find someone to go with, then travel solo. You are more likely to meet people and make new friends when travelling by yourself. Just make sure to stay at a hostel or take a tour so that you can have a chance to meet new people.
- Watch some romantic comedies. You might think that watching romantic movies on Valentine’s Day could be a bit depressing but it actually doesn’t have to be. I love watching movies myself so if you enjoy watching movies, put on some light-hearted romantic comedies. They tend to make you feel a bit better. Invite some friends over if you’d like to share the fun with your loved ones.
- Bake something for your friends or colleagues. If you love baking, then make some Valentine’s Day cookies, cakes or pies. Doing something kind for the people in your life can make you feel good and also make you feel like you are getting in the spirit of the holiday even if you are single.
- Tell the people in your life how much you love and appreciate them. You can still share love during Valentine’s Day. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you during this holiday. Ideas for sharing your love can be to send loved ones flowers, send handwritten notes, bake Valentine’s desserts or give someone a call that you haven’t spoken with in ages.
- Have a party. If you are the type who likes to enjoy hosting events and socializing then throw a party and invite your single friends. You don’t have to make this a themed single’s only type of party either. Just plan a night where you are with friends and allow people to invite their friends. Who knows you might even meet someone new at the party.
- Devote time to your passions. Use the holiday as a reason to invest time into something you love or have been neglecting recently. Go ahead and get some gym time, work on that novel, catch up on some reading or get back to doing artwork. As you invest time into your passion, the holiday will be over before you know it and you’ll have worked on something amazing in the process.
- Just treat Valentine’s Day as a typical day. Valentine’s Day is not a nationally recognized holiday that your job typically gives a day off for. Depending on the year, you’ll most likely be working on this holiday anyway. Even if Valentine’s Day falls on the weekend (assuming you don’t work weekends) you can still treat this holiday as a normal day on the weekend.
- Go to a single’s event. If you don’t have any friends or family around, look out for singles events happening on Valentine’s Day. There will usually be some events happening near your city that you can attend. This is a great way to make new friends and have something fun to do during the evening.
- Be positive. Even if you wish you weren’t single during Valentine’s Day, there are so many things you can appreciate and be happy for on this holiday. Focus on the people who do love you and the things you have accomplished so far during this year. Be grateful that you aren’t with your horrible ex anymore or that you aren’t stuck in a relationship that isn’t going anywhere.
Whatever happens, try to not get down or depressed about being alone on Valentine’s Day. Everyone has been single on Valentine’s Day at some point and it’s perfectly normal. Although it may seem like everyone is in a relationship, there are millions of single people having fun and enjoying this holiday. Use this time to focus on the love that you have for yourself and use this day as another day to express your love to yourself and your loved ones.