When you think of Valentine's Day, your mind might jump to the thought of romantic couples, date nights, receiving chocolates or flowers, and so on. The truth is, although Valentine's Day is a day of love, it is not reserved for expressing love to a significant other. Instead, it can mean giving love to yourself.
Regardless if you’re newly single or have been enjoying the single life for quite some time, this day can give you an amazing opportunity to do more things that bring you joy. Celebrating Valentine's Day as a single man or woman is a wonderful experience — so long as you open your heart and mind to it.
While Valentine’s Day has been socially constructed to make people believe they need a partner to share their love with, it is quite the contrary. Reframe your mindset about this day by celebrating yourself and embracing self-love on a whole other level.
Considering Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to put yourself first and show how much you truly love and appreciate yourself can be an invigorating experience. Not only does this help you get through the day, but it also motivates you to celebrate yourself more often. Even if it’s something small, treating yourself can set you on the right path towards embracing more self-love on a regular basis.
While Covid-19 restrictions continue across the country to keep us safe, there are still plenty of fun and entertaining ways to treat yourself this Valentine’s Day. Here are 10 fun ideas that are sure to put you in good spirits.
Not having that special someone to share Valentine’s Day with can be very difficult for many people. Finding this day to be a little more lonely or anxiety filled is completely normal and likely more common than you think! No matter what you decide to do with your day, it’s most important to take care of your mental health. Self-love is an important love to be mindful of.
If you find yourself aimlessly scrolling for hours on Valentine’s Day only to feel a little more lonely than before, you may want to consider taking a break from social media. For the sake of your mental state, there is no reason to put yourself in this sort of position. If you have limited self-control, it may be a good idea to delete the apps from your phone ahead of time — you’ll thank yourself later!
At the end of the day, it’s important to know that it’s okay to not feel okay on Valentine’s Day. Give yourself permission to feel any sort of way. Accepting your actions and emotions can be incredibly helpful. If you’re feeling down and want to curl up in a ball and eat chocolates until you fall asleep, so be it! Just know that you are not alone in feeling this way. Acknowledge that you may need to have a ‘down day’ and be kind to yourself about that.
If you’ve become increasingly overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety, you may want to consider connecting with a trusted therapist. No matter where you are, On Your Mind Counselling offers virtual visits with certified counsellors to accommodate individual circumstances. Whether or not you’ve attended therapy in the past, this is a great opportunity to express your emotions in a safe and non-judgmental space. Book your visit today.
Written by Tori Mudie, BA, MA, RP, CCC
