With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the ideas of love and romance seem to be everywhere we turn. Whether it be seasonal displays in stores or cute couples occupying our social media feeds, the “love-in-the-air” energy seems inescapable at times. However, holidays like Valentine’s Day can often be difficult. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, the presence of happy couples everywhere can definitely be stressful. Single people can often feel an increased sense of loneliness, and people in relationships can feel an overwhelming pressure to feel happy and make their Valentine’s Day perfect. Either way, the holiday can make remembering our worth difficult, and it is important that we keep certain things in mind.
Valentine’s Day can make some of us feel extremely lonely and often like we’re missing out on something. These feelings are completely natural and valid, especially around this time of year. However, it is important to remember our self-worth. Remind yourself that you are whole and not a half, and that you are a wonderful person without the presence of anyone else. While it can be easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole of social media, remember that life almost always looks wildly different behind a screen and that couples are often pressured into looking extra happy during this holiday. Though romance can be amazing, you are living a complete life with or without one. There’s so much more to you. And most importantly, if you are not satisfied with yourself single, you will not suddenly feel better with a romantic partner. Spend the day in a way that makes you happy. Whether it be spending time with your family, having a movie night with your friends, or dedicating the day to self-care and wellbeing, anything that you decide for the day is totally okay. Prioritize yourself, because you, all on your own, are more than enough.
The struggles of singlehood around this time of year are commonly talked about, but Valentine’s Day can most certainly be a stressful time for those of us in relationships. The pressure to feel happy can create unreasonable expectations for the day and result in issues between partners. The holiday leads couples to think they need to have a perfect day to validate their happiness in a relationship. In addition, we can often end up feeling worse due to the pressure to be happy. The truth is, feeling unhappy, down, or lonely on Valentine’s Day is entirely valid even if you are in a relationship. At the end of the day, it is just one day out of the year, and it does not determine the happiness of your relationship as a whole. Relationships are meant to have ups and downs, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. You are under no obligation to make the day perfect, even if it seems like that’s what everyone expects. If you and your partner want to dress up, get each other expensive gifts, and plan something elaborate, that’s amazing. But if one or both of you are feeling down, having a bad day, or simply want to avoid the pressure of the holiday, that’s more than okay too. Communicate your feelings with your partner, don’t get caught up in society’s expectations, and remember, you are priority.
Regardless of your relationship status, everyone could use a dose of self-affirmation this Valentine’s Day. Keep your self-worth in mind, and don’t feel pressured to take the holiday as a reflection of your value as a human being. After all, it is just a day, and you are so much more.