If you’re a single person on February 14, you don’t need to dread Valentine’s Day. There are many ways to celebrate this ode to love without bending to society’s commercialized pressure to pair up and purchase heart-shaped chocolates and pink teddy bears.
In fact, despite its current secular bent, Valentine’s Day first began as a Christian feast to honour two martyrs, both named Valentine, who were executed on February 14 in the third century.
Over the years, the holiday has morphed into big business and garnered backlash, including the emergence of alternative celebrations such as Singles Awareness Day (SAD) and Gallentine’s Day.
3 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a single person
If you find yourself single or alone this Valentine’s Day, here are three suggestions for taking the focus off of what you don’t have and taking time to consider all that you do.
Take time for self-care
One way to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a single person is to focus on self-care. Intetionally plan to spend the day doing things that bring you joy, such as taking a walk outside, practicing a treasured hobby or spending time with family and friends. Taking time for self-care is a wonderful way to show yourself love.
Here are a few self-care tips to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day if you are single or not dating.
- Practice gratitude: Reflect on or write down the blessings in your life and express gratitude for them
- Prioritise physical health: Exercising regularly, eating a healthy balanced diet and getting enough sleep are key ways to show yourself love and avoid becoming lazy
- Connect with nature: Spending time in nature can be a great way to reduce stress, calm the mind and rejuvenate the body.
- Pursue your passions: Identify what your interest and talents are and find ways to pursue them, such as joining a class, or scheduling a time each day to practise your interests
- Practice self-compassion: Be kind and gentle with yourself. Focus on self-compassion and forgiveness and avoid negative self-talk
God’s love for us is unconditional and unchanging. Taking care of yourself is a way of honouring that love.
Focus on self-reflection
Valentine’s Day is also a great opportunity to reflect on your life and ensure your thoughts, feelings and behaviours are in line with who you are and who you want to be. Self-reflection is a crucial aspect of spiritual growth and an important practice for all of us to maintain.
Focus on self-reflection by following some of these helpful tips.
- Pray: Incorporate prayer into your daily routine to strengthen your connection with God and with yourself. Submit your worries to Him, and ask for guidance as you navigate each day
- Reflect on your relationships: Think about your non-romantic relationships and consider ways to show love to these people. This could be an opportunity to reach out and reconnect, or to forgive and ask for forgiveness to repair damaged relationships
- Evaluate your priorities: Consider what truly matters to you and how your actions reflect your priorities, making sure that your actions and pursuits align with your values
- Set goals for growth: Reflect on what areas of your life you would like to improve and set specific, measurable goals to help you achieve them. Having clear goals can give you direction and a sense of purpose
No matter your status, you can still celebrate Valentine’s Day by taking time to focus on yourself, reflecting on your life and finding areas for improvement.
Celebrate all forms of love
Love is not just for couples. We show love to ourselves, friends, family, community members and even pets. Celebrating love in all its many unique forms this Valentine’s Day will give you the opportunity to show God’s love to others and experience His love in their own lives.
Here are a few ways to show and celebrate love in all its forms this Valentine’s Day.
- Show love to family and friends: Spend quality time with the people you love and show them how much you love them and how much their presence in your life means to you
- Volunteer: Look for opportunities to serve the community such as helping a neighbour, visiting a nursing home or reading at a local school
- Forgive and seek forgiveness: Forgiveness can be difficult, but try to reconcile with those who you have hurt and who have hurt you.
- Random acts of kindness: Look for ways to show kindness to those around you like opening the door, paying for the coffee of the person behind you or simply saying hello. These small acts can have a big impact
- Pamper your pets: Spoil your furry friends with extra cuddles, a long walk, a new toy or a special treat this Valentine’s Day to show them you care and bring a little more joy to your home
Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love so regardless of whether you fit into society’s standards, claim this day for yourself! Take time to celebrate by showing love, reaching out and bringing joy to your life and to others’ lives as well.
