It’s February, and that means it is once again time for chocolate, pink hearts and love to be shoved down our throats. There are plenty of angles of disapproval when it comes to Valentine's Day.
There’s the commercialization of love and the “it’s just a way for the greeting card, candy and flower industries to exploit us” approach. There’s the ever-so-bitter “true love isn’t real and everyone leaves” approach, familiar to most who have endured a crushing breakup. More commonly, is the “I’m single and don’t want to be, so I’m going to employ unhealthy coping mechanisms and hope I’m in love next year” approach.
Valentine's Day is one of the most predictable holidays of them all. If you’re in a long-term relationship, an underwhelming “Happy Valentine's Day” text and another night of coexisting in a room while both on your phones is most likely in your future. If you’re in a new relationship, Valentine's Day is full of excitement and romance; treasure it while it lasts.
If you’re single and unhappy about it, there are a few things that are vital to your mental stability during this time of obnoxious public displays of love. Regardless of your chosen form of cynicism when it comes to the holiday, Feb. 14 is unavoidable and your shield of bitterness is only so thick.
First, plan as many things with your friends as humanly possible because we all know refusing to think about and acknowledge our feelings is our first instinct. If you don’t have time to think about how long you’ve been single for, everything will be fine. Right?
Wrong. Soon enough the neglected feelings will abruptly surface to the forefront of your thoughts and you will be left a sobbing mess on the floor unless we have a planned coping mechanism.
For this stage of the process, I suggest a journal. Word vomit all of your negative thoughts and feelings on to a page. Write about how you don’t think you’ll ever find anyone who will embrace your weird habits or accept the fact that you’re just “a little too high maintenance” like your former lover said.
Extracting all of these pent-up emotions will, at the very least, make you feel a little lighter. It’ll get some of it off your chest.
Next, I suggest making a grocery store run. This isn’t your typical Sunday “restock the fridge” grocery shopping though. Your baby spinach that makes you feel like you’re really getting in shape has no place in your cart this time.
Buy your guilty pleasures. Get back on track and be healthy after all of this Valentine's Day stuff blows over. Get the double-stuffed Oreos. Buy the extra large bag of Cheetos. You’re worth it. You deserve this.
My last piece of advice is the hardest of them all to follow through with. On Valentine's Day, and maybe even a day or two after, do not, under any circumstances, open Instagram.
You do not want to see all the smitten couples bragging about their giant teddy bears they got or the fancy dinner they went to together. It will only add to the self-pity. If you are weak and break down to look like most of us will, just remember that these couples will probably break up eventually despite their beautiful Valentine’s Day spent together kissing in a park and adorably sharing a milkshake with two straws in it.
In all seriousness, we are all capable of happy fulfilling lives without the romantic love of another person.
Fill your life with dependable friends.
Spend your time doing the things you’re passionate about.
Practice self-love. Enjoy your time being single, and pinpoint exactly who you are and what you want for yourself.
There’s no “other half” to you; you’re whole on your own. Cherish that.
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