Date yourself first. As we are in the season of Valentine’s Day, there is pressure to go on a date with a significant other or have a Galantines Day. While the holiday signifies being thankful for all my loved ones, including my significant other, friends, and family, it also reminds me to take time to date myself and to take time out of my day to do something for me.
I feel as we get older there is more and more pressure to be dating or actively looking to date. But why can’t we choose to be single, or taken, while still dating ourselves first? If we are at an age where we are learning who we are and who we want to become, wouldn’t it be necessary to know how to date ourselves, and how to be comfortable independently?
What does dating oneself mean? It is taking yourself on dates and partaking in self-care. I don’t know about you, but oftentimes I feel pressure that in order to do something fun, I need to be with someone. However, I think it is important, and far too often overlooked that we need to know how to have an enjoyable time alone. Dating myself taught me how to disconnect from the world and spend time reconnecting with myself. It has taught me to enjoy silent moments.
For Valentine’s Day and beyond, I challenge you to take yourself out on dates. It sounds silly or even ridiculous, but to date yourself is to gain freedom, independence, and confidence. Below, you will find date ideas and recommendations. Happy dating!
Go to a Coffee Shop
I love coffee. It is something I look forward to each day. When going to a coffee shop, I don’t mean grab and go, I mean sit down and enjoy the environment. Bring a book or maybe even a craft. If it’s a date, try to avoid homework or working on something that needs to get done. Simply enjoy yourself.
Movie Night
When I say movie night, I mean make it a movie night. For me, it means ordering in or having popcorn and fun snacks. Make it a fun event that you don’t do just every day. I typically will turn on my fairy lights and create a cozy atmosphere, which means blankets are required.
A movie night can also mean going to the actual theater itself, it can feel awkward at first, but it can be so fun to just do something on a whim without having to coordinate plans. Plus, how could you turn down movie theater popcorn?
Paint night
I am unnaturally bad at painting. However, it can be therapeutic to paint and play around with colors and crafts with no pressure for perfection. It can be anything from canvas painting to a tote bag, or really anything else.
Go on a walk
I love going for a hot girl walk. While I enjoy going with friends, when I notice the weight and pressures of life dragging me down, I find an independent hot girl walk can recenter me. I recommend going to trails or somewhere pretty. At ISU, I recommend Constitution Trails. They go from Normal all the way through Bloomington and are one of my favorite places to go when on campus.
Bake
I love baking, it can be a moment to try out a new recipe or play around with an old one. Oftentimes, I bake alone, blasting music. It’s easy to disconnect from the world and focus on creating something tasty and it’s hard to not get excited to see the end result.
Date yourself first. Feel free to do any of my recommendations, but at the end of the day, do things that make you happy. I shared my happy places and activities as options but explore things that make you feel recharged. Be Yours.