Valentine’s Day On Your Own

By Jovana Kuvac and Jane McWilliams

The month of February signifies two things: the first month of the year has already flown by, and Valentine’s day is right around the corner. Valentine’s Day is a holiday that many people both love and dread, as it can create stress for people in relationships as well as those not currently in a relationship.

Having recently divorced, Valentine’s Day can be especially daunting. Experiencing challenging feelings during this time is natural—ruminating on them, however, is optional. This Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to focus on yourself. As you gain your footing as a single person, this year’s holiday can be a time of reflection and a time to take pride in all that you have experienced and accomplished.

Valentine’s chocolates and candies are wonderful ways to treat yourself this time of year, but they aren’t the only ways you can be sweet to yourself. You have a choice to reclaim Valentine’s Day on your own terms.

Treat Yourself

This Valentine’s Day, you are the special person in your own life. You can treat yourself with true love and care. You can choose to celebrate everything you have overcome, the good times and the bad. This Valentine’s day can be about a very special kind of love–self-love.

After all, who better to celebrate this Valentine’s Day? Here are some tips on how to create your own fantastic day on February 14th:

• Order your favorite meal and have it delivered,
• Eat breakfast in bed and take time to think about gratefulness,
• Put a bouquet of your favorite flowers where you can enjoy them all day long,
• Crack open that new novel you’ve been dying to read,
• Get outdoors and have an adventure,
• Listen to your favorite music and have your own dance party,
• Or put your feet up and spend some time relaxing.

When you allow yourself to love yourself, it can help you see the world in a new, more positive light. It will give you the courage to do the things that you enjoy and bring you peace.

Celebrate Good Times

This year, why not create a gathering of other singles and create your own special celebration?
You can choose a theme, dress up, watch movies together, or have a game night-—now this is an opportunity! The more you love yourself, the more you can give love to others-—your children, your friends and family, and your community.

Create New Traditions

You can make it extra special by creating some new traditions for yourself; here are a few ideas for you to try:

• Send Valentine’s Day cards to your closest friends,
• Create ‘goody-bags’ for people you care about, especially those who might be spending the day alone,
• Go on a hike and treat yourself to a picnic,
• Blast the music and sing your favorite karaoke songs,
• Make popcorn, and watch a favorite movie, or
• Decorate special Valentine’s Day cookies and share them with your co-workers.

This is your opportunity to embrace and celebrate your independence, empowering you to have a wonderful Valentine’s Day on your own. You are worth it!