Valentine’s Day has been around since the eighth century. The meaning of Valentine’s Day turned sappy and sweet in the fourteenth century, with its positive association with the courting season and lovebirds (Origins of Valentine’s Day). For the past 700 years, we have celebrated Valentine’s Day as a day of love for a significant other and the relationship we have with that person. And if you’re single, well you might dread the day. For us single people, it is the day where we go online to see everyone, and I mean everyone, posting their significant others and showing off just how happy and in love they are.
And of course, we have Gal-entines or Pal-entines, but why do we never celebrate the love that we have for ourselves? Why do we not take a day to cherish the person we see in the mirror? I propose that for this Valentine’s Day, we prioritize loving ourselves and acknowledge all the growing we have done, all the love we have given, and what makes us, us. Below are some ways to show self-love on Valentine’s Day, whether you have a Valentine or not.
-Although this might seem cheesy, I truly think that we will receive the energy we put into the universe. So if it’s just for one day or every day, talk kindly to yourself. Say out loud that you are valuable, worthy, and can achieve whatever you put your mind to. I think we are our biggest critics, so being kind to yourself can drastically change how your day goes.
-Get off social media!! If you are single, seeing all those happy relationships being posted is not going to be the best way to start your day. Even if you do have a Valentine, spending the day in touch with yourself and the people around you instead of the internet will ground you. Being on our phones all day is not great for our mental health, so taking the day to not only focus on yourself but your mental health too is crucial.
-Start journaling. At the beginning of this year, I decided to start writing down five good things that happened every day for the whole year. This has completely changed my mindset because at the end of the day, I am recalling all the good things that happened. Now you don’t have to keep a list and do it for the entire year like me, but deciding that you want to remember the good instead of the bad is going to make you feel a thousand times better.
-Of course, I have to add the super cheesy but important small tips like wearing a cute outfit, baking something, or going shopping. These might not shift your mindset in the long run, but will definitely put a smile on your face when you need it. Take the day to do whatever will make your day end on a positive note.
I hope that those few tips will help you shift your mindset on Valentine’s Day, single or not. We all deserve to feel a little extra love on this day.
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