Once upon a time, I told a guy I was taken, and he asked who my boyfriend was. I eyed him weirdly and replied, “What boyfriend? I’m dating myself.” He thought I was trying to be funny and trying to let him down gently. I was being completely serious. Valentine’s Day can be tough for a lot of people, especially if you are single. While Galentine’s is a huge thing that girls do, which I personally love, sometimes it doesn’t change how you feel when you see all these people online post about them and their significant other going on all these romantic dates. Instead, date yourself on Valentine’s.
Dating yourself is so much more than just being happy being single. I am in a relationship, and I still date myself. Dating yourself is a mindset; it is about dedicating time to taking care of yourself and being present. I hear lots of girls complain that they want a boyfriend to take them on cute dates and buy them flowers, but you don’t need a boyfriend to do that. You can buy yourself flowers (just like Queen Miley Cyrus once said), take yourself to dinner at a fancy restaurant and do all the things you would do if you were in a relationship. It is 2025, and it is time for us to realize that we do not need someone else to make us feel special when we can do it all on our own.
Valentine’s Day can be the best day or the worst day. But having a partner or friends to be with does not determine which of those days it is going to be. Here is how you should date yourself this Valentine’s Day:
First things first, you don’t have to follow a single suggestion I give you. Dating yourself is all about doing what YOU want to do! Plan to take the day for yourself and do all of the things you’ve been wanting to do or been putting off. Go get your nails done, go see that new movie, go finally call the maintenance guy about the weird sound your radiator has been making. Even if these things do not directly make you feel better, taking care of business makes you feel confident, calm, and beautiful.
Speaking of beautiful, have a spa day. Take an everything shower for as long as you want. Put some music on, and have a concert. Do every single step of your shower routine that you usually skip over. Let the mirrors in the bathroom get foggy and your water bill run up. This is your time. Or, take a bubble bath. Use a bath bomb and bath salts and just lay there and relax. Once you finish, do one of the tons of sheet masks you have accumulated. Use the jade roller or the gua sha you haven’t touched since 2020. Put on your best smelling body lotion. Do every single step of your skincare routine, and take some deep breaths while you do this. Skincare is actually a form of meditation.
Mindfulness is a big part of dating yourself. I cannot meditate for my life because I become too distracted, but there are other ways to really reconnect with yourself. Reading a nice book, journaling, or just going on a walk in silence can be so healing. Put your phone on DnD and just look at the beauty of the world around you. Appreciate how happy you are to just… be. Breathing in fresh air will chase away those overwhelming thoughts. You don’t even have to walk very far, just a leisurely stroll to reconnect with nature and ground yourself. For most people this Valentine’s Day, it may be too cold outside to go on a walk; instead, go to a museum or an art gallery. Take in the loveliness around you.
At night, treat yourself to a nice dinner. Get all dressed up and go to dinner for one. There is no shame in eating by yourself, and nobody is going to be looking at you. If you don’t want to go out, just order delivery and set up something nice for yourself at home. Put on your favorite comfort movie. Change into your coziest pajamas. Have an extra dessert just because. Listen to yourself and what it is you want to do. You can do whatever you want, the only person who can stop you is yourself.
By dating yourself, you reconnect with who you are. You declutter your mind of all the negative energy that consumes it every day. You find what truly makes you happy. This also doesn’t just have to be a one-time thing for Valentine’s Day. Date yourself once a month or once every couple of months. You will find yourself a lot more at peace and a lot happier. To any person reading: this year, be your own Valentine.
