Valentine’s Day has always been for couples celebrating their love, but what about people that are single? One day that consists of happy couples, gift-giving and love is a day that could be a bit too much to handle for single people. That doesn’t mean every single person out there should hate Valentine’s Day, but instead look at it from a different perspective and make it about self-love and other love you have in your life.
Realize that Valentine’s Day is not just about being with someone else but rather learning to love yourself for who you are, without a partner or anyone else. Even just accepting the fact that love is not just when you’re in a couple but love is always around you. Whether you’re single or not, love is constantly in your life.
I love love, most of the time. I love my friends and to see them being loved. I love blasting music in my car to drown out how many weird noises my car makes. I love really fuzzy blankets and socks. I love pickles and popcorn. I love spring and summer when Monroe Park is filled with people sitting on blankets and playing spike ball. I love people-watching. I love morning debriefs with my roommates after a night out. I love being able to say I love a lot of things. The things I love are what Valentine’s Day is all about.
Valentine’s Day is even about things I like in life too. So when you feel done seeing all the couples and the red hearts, sit down and make a list of all the things you love and like in life. All those things are what should be celebrated on Valentine’s Day.
It’s refreshing and hopeful, in a way, to see that love is not just about being with a partner. Love is so many things. In the past, when I was single on Valentine’s Day, I would get grossed out by couples and love because I just didn’t know how to celebrate something that I hated. What I didn’t realize was that I did have love in my life but not in the way I thought love could only come from. I didn’t hate love, I just didn’t understand it. Now I know that just because one love isn’t a great experience doesn’t mean all love is like that.
It’s also completely okay if you just hate Valentine’s Day for some reason. Valentine’s Day is just another normal day. To be single on Valentine’s Day is not having to worry about getting a tacky gift that makes your head hurt; not having to worry about eating a weirdly large amount of chocolate that will probably give you acne all over your face; and not having to wonder if your partner is going to get you something you don’t like or getting them a more thoughtful present then they give you.
So, even if you’re single, there is love in your life that can be celebrated. You can celebrate Galentine’s Day with your best friends. You can celebrate your family and how much you love them. Most importantly, you can celebrate the love you have for yourself. You don’t need a partner to celebrate Valentine’s Day.