It’s the season of love. February 14th. Valentine’s Day. Do something sweet for that special someone. If you are like me, that special someone is and always has been, well, myself. Relationship or not, it is important to make self-love a priority, but for this time of the year, we can easily get caught in a whirlwind of drugstore heart-shaped chocolate boxes and poorly made teddy bears. Do I sound bitter? Maybe. Being alone on the big day always has been seen as a sad thing or something to be pitied, but I take advantage of the fact that it’s an acceptable day to buy myself my favorite coffee, a box of chocolates, and show myself how much I mean to me. It’s called self-love, and I say ‘tis the season.
Do single people all over the world really dread Valentine’s Day? As my dad always says, “Valentine’s day is a Hallmark holiday for companies to make money.” Yes, Steve, you are correct, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, regardless of relationship status. Book a facial, go to a museum, or just stay in your cute matching PJ set with hearts on it that you just had to get from Target because…duh. That is what the day is all about.
Personally, although cheesy, I do love the overall idea of Valentine’s Day. Hearts and candy and nice dinners, I mean what isn’t to love about that? Of course, I often forget about the fact that I don’t have the counterpart to complete the day. Thankfully there is a simple and extremely accessible solution. ME! Selfish? No. On the day of love, who better to show care towards than yourself. I spend my day treating myself to all my favorite things. The ideal day would be a nice morning walk to my favorite coffee shop, a nice brunch, and ending the day with sushi and movies. Of course, I would be doing this alone, but hey, no one to disagree with on what Netflix special to watch. I always found it so interesting that as a society there is such a push for strong independence, but on this day, it was the gold standard to have someone to share it with. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great thing if you do have someone to share the day with, but if you don’t, you still deserve to celebrate. Celebrate your accomplishments, goals, and power in making that reservation for a table for one at your favorite restaurant.
With all that being said, if the day comes and you want to curl up in a ball and watch sad movies on your couch, do it! If you want to go on a date, do it! Finally, if you want to spend the day with your cat reading a book by a cozy fire, do it! The day doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to, but on the day of love, love your friends, love your family, and most importantly, love yourself. Book that table for one and order with pride.