Valentine’s Day is a holiday that one either loves or hates with a passion. , There are a few exceptions, of course, but not many. There the couples who adore all the red, pink, and hearts while others avoid celebrating or even talking about the day.
A holiday that is so centered around love can bring up a variety of feelings for those of us who are not in relationships or whose relationship status can best be described as “It’s Complicated”. However, as someone who has never been in a relationship for the past 19, soon to be 20, Valentine’s Days, I have come to a realization about this holiday. While the commercialized aspects of the holiday tell us it is all about romantic partnerships and finding your soulmate, I would beg to differ.
I feel that this is a holiday that we can use to celebrate radical self-love and the other relationships that we have in our lives. Recent movies like ‘Isn’t It Romantic’ and songs like ‘7 Rings’, have chosen to celebrate a movement of self-love and the realization that being happy with where you are at is the most important part of empowering yourself. So my advice is to embrace that ideology and try to turn it into action this February. Self-love does not always mean bubble baths and ice cream, not that I’m knocking that, but sometimes it means taking the time to play with your dog, celebrating the work that you have accomplished, watching the sunset by yourself and appreciating where you are at. The other important aspect is focusing on the variety of relationships that you already have in your life. Sure, some of us celebrate Galentine’s with our closest friends, but what about your parents, other family members, old friends, and random people in your life. Take a moment to tell that couple you look up to about how much you love their love and aim to be like them, reach out to your sibling(s) and tell them how special they are, go ahead and compliment the girl who is rocking all the colors associated with Valentine’s Day.
Let’s make Valentine’s Day into a time to celebrate the love we have for ourselves, each other, and the amount of love there is in the world. Love is an all-encompassing feeling, so why not take a moment to step outside the confines of the commercialized Valentine’s Day and spread some positivity as we move forward with 2019.