Valentine’s Day is approaching , but this year you don’t have to worry about being alone. Jennifer shares her “Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day Solo”.
If you are single, you may be dreading the idea of spending another Valentine’s Day alone. But you are not alone. According to statistics from TIME magazine, 15 percent of women buy flowers for themselves on Valentine’s Day.
Heart Tree In The Water Can” by Feelart
I have been single for every Valentine’s Day since I was born–26 Valentine’s Days as a single person. I have long felt disheartened at the first glimpse in stores of fluffy pink things, of white blossoms and red foil-wrapped candies. I stayed away from restaurants that would assume I was waiting for someone. I cringed thinking of couples everywhere enjoying themselves, while I stayed at home, watching marathons of sappy love flicks on cable television and mourning my lack of a romantic partner. At the same time, I was tired of being miserable. One day, I thought, “I do have someone to love and celebrate with” and the answer was: Me. Valentine’s Day can be a downer for many single women, because we start to doubt that we will find that someone or think we may not be good enough for anyone. But there is someone for us–ourselves.
I have learned that security, friends, and love come in time. First, it is all about OURSELVES.
So, this upcoming Valentine’s Day, celebrate yourself. Celebrate your singlehood.
It is time for single women to reclaim Valentine’s Day.
1) Get together with your single friends and have a party. Try out new recipes and cook each other dinner. Eat a variety of desserts. Celebrate your singlehood.
2) Spend the day doing enriching, mind- and heart-expanding activities you may not allow yourself to do often enough, activities such as writing, painting, reading a book you’ve always meant to read, visiting a favorite place and taking photographs.
3) Treat yourself to a mani and pedi, or even set up an entire spa day.
4) Treat yourself to your favorite food and movies. Take-out is allowed, but guilt is not.
5) Write a love letter to yourself. In it, list all of your good qualities, from looks to personality (beautiful eyes, beautiful smile, have good skills in your field of expertise). Then finally, thank yourself for being you.
And thank yourself for loving yourself. The rewards of this particular love affair will last long after all the candy is gone.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted in your life that took time, physically or mentally?
It took me a while to finally accept that I’m different from everyone else and I should not adapt myself to the society norms. So what if I am not thin? As long I am living a healthy lifestyle. So what if I don’t want to wear a dress and heels? As long I have clothes to wear everyday. I should be living the life I want, not the life the people want me to live.
What do you appreciate about yourself and within your life?
I appreciate the fact I am still alive and being given a second chance to reclaim myself. Not many people are lucky like me and I am grateful for that.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What goals do you still have?
My most rewarding achievement is that I exceeded everyone’s expectations of what a Deaf person can do. I have many goals, still…but, if I have to pick one goal and that is educating the world about the most important things in life.
What is your not-so-perfect way? What imperfections and quirks create your Identity?
Do I really have to tell? Okay, procrastination is my “not-so-perfect” way, probably the reason why it took me long enough to finally realize I need to start reclaiming myself at age 26. My imperfections are: biting my nails and being a worry wart.
How would you complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I love my mind, I cannot believe that I came up with this article. So eternally grateful for that creativity part of my brain doing the hard work for me.
