Valentine’s Day can be hard if you’re single because it focuses exclusively on relationships. But, there is no reason that you can’t enjoy this holiday when your single. Consumerism aside celebrating relationships is important, although admittedly you should aim to appreciate the people you love everyday not just on 14th February. However, we have many different types of relationships aside from just romantic ones, all of which should be celebrated.
So, here’s how to celebrate and even enjoy Valentine’s Day (or, now that it is over, any day when you’re feeling lonely) – even if you’re single…
Family Relationships
Often taken for granted, family relationships are a great thing to celebrate on Valentines. These are the people, if you’re lucky enough, that will be there for you no matter what. Make time to ring whoever you call family and spend some quality time with them! Remember that these are the people who will be there for you as relationships come and go. Also remember, that family is more than just blood. We get to decide who we class as family – whether or not they share our DNA.
Heard of Galentines or Valentines?
Forget moping over being single and go have a laugh with your best friends! Friendships are one of the best relationships we have in life and they need appreciation too, so why not celebrate Palentines instead! Galentines/Palentines is a new way of celebrating this traditional romantic holiday with your pals! Whether you decide to go out on an amazing adventure together or a night in watching sappy movies and eating takeaways, it’s a great opportunity to get all your friends together and appreciate the relationships you do have. It will make a pleasant change to mourning those relationships you don’t have. It’s easy with friends to become stuck in a cycle of rearranging plans because you’re all busy, so make those plans now! If someone matters to you find some time for them this Valentines.
Appreciating you
The most important relationship you will ever have in life is the one you have with yourself and
although that may be the most difficult, it’s the one you should work on the most. Although other people in life are important, you have to put time, work, and love into yourself too. If you don’t appreciate and love yourself it will be hard to maintain a healthy, meaningful relationship with other people. The notion that it is somehow a bad thing to be single on Valentine’s Day is wrong, no one should rely on someone else to make them happy. Take advantage of this holiday and use the time to work on yourself and learn how to make yourself feel good! That can be as simple as cooking yourself a nice meal or ordering your favourite take-away! You could have a self-care night, candles, bath, face mask – the whole works because taking care of yourself is important and you don’t need someone else to treat you! Maybe you could try learning a new skill or try a new hobby as a way to get comfortable spending time with just yourself. Ultimately, only you know what you really need, maybe that’s some well-deserved rest and relaxation or maybe that’s something deeper. But whatever that is, big or small, you deserve happiness so show yourself more love and do what you need to do. Self-care and self-love are incredibly important – especially on this holiday that can feel like it’s ridiculing the idea of being single.