Valentine’s Day is maybe only second to Christmas when it comes to emotional expectations. Whether you have a significant other or not, it still can be challenging. So how can you bring it down a notch this year, without sacrificing its potential.
Keep it simple! This might be the year to forego crowded restaurants, expensive chocolates and flowers that wither and die after a few days. Maybe, just maybe, we could honor love in any of its form on Valentine’s Day.
First start with self-love. Regardless of whether you’re attached or not, self-love is the only real way to start Valentine’s Day. Dare to take a bath first-thing in the morning. Make a delicious breakfast–the kind that’s a little more time-consuming (think Eggs Benedict, for instance). Dress in red or pink which will naturally increase your appreciation and participation.
Love is free, remember. Think outside the box! Instead of buying a prerequisite gift, how about a poem (bad ones are good too!) or a call to a long-lost friend or relative? How about a smile generated to every person you see that day, regardless of whether its returned. Think of yourself as a love radiating machine–nothing can stop your heart from overflowing toward those around you.
Be sad if you choose, because that’s romantic too. If you’re nursing a heartache or feel lonely, remember: most love songs are written about the very same thing! Heartbreak hurts sure…but no one could deny its romance. Express your heart pain creatively. Draw, write, sing, cry–its all for the sake of love anyway.
Isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is about after all?