Anti-Valentine’s Day? F That!
Remember when you were young, and everyone loved Valentine’s Day? Your parents would take you to the store to buy the small paper Valentine cards with cute cartoon characters and the small box of Sweet-Tart candies to pass out to your classmates. You would spend time carefully writing nice notes to your classmates. Everyone would wear red or pink. Your teacher would end class early to allow time for everyone to pass out their treats. Life was good!
Fast forward twenty years and you find yourself sitting alone at home, watching a rom-com, and eating ice cream right out of the carton. Or worse, you’re out with another single friend commiserating about your status and drinking a little too much vodka to drown your sorrows. You hold back tears wondering if you will ever find a partner. Life is hard.
And then, one fine Valentine’s Day while doom-scrolling the Internet you read a meme about Anti-Valentine’s Day. What??? There’s a day to celebrate the opposite of the day we all know and love? The short answer is “Yes” unfortunately. The long answer is “Yes, there’s actually an entire week that “celebrates” this movement.” What likely began to distract heartbroken people from all the flowers, candy and jewelry associated with the holiday has become a week dedicated to questionable behavior. From Slap Day to Breakup Day, the focus is on broken relationships. Is that really something you want to give so much of your energy? Wouldn’t it feel better to just yell “F that!” and move on in positivity?
If you are Single for Valentine’s Day and not really sure what to do, here are a few ways to “F that”:
- Free your mind (…and the rest will follow): Give yourself a break. Despite all the reminders, just ignore the holiday. Consider it just another day and don’t give it all the attention you might if you were in a relationship
- Focus on a non-romantic task. Clean your closet. Gather your tax paperwork. Create a vacation wish list and start the planning for a fabulous trip later in the year!
- Feel your emotions. If Valentine’s Day is triggering for you, it’s okay to express your feelings. Call a good friend, therapist or even the national Crisis Hotline (988) if you need someone to talk to about your experience. Sometimes talking through your feelings can help keep things in perspective.
- Feed yourself something delicious. Valentine’s Day is often busy for restaurants as couples include romantic (and expensive) dinners in their plans. Instead of dining out, why not fix something incredible at home? You might be surprised by your culinary skills! You’ll have great leftovers for lunch and social-media worthy photos to share. And be sure to treat yourself to a decadent dessert to celebrate your awesomeness!
- Flex your muscles. One way to get the endorphins flowing is to have a workout session. Hit the gym, go for a class, take a hike, or try a new physical activity. Wrap up your day by soaking in a warm bath or taking a steamy shower. You will feel refreshed, accomplished, and ready to get a good night of sleep.
- Find your tribe! Half (yes, approximately 51%) of the U.S. population is single. You are not the only person without a Valentine. If you don’t enjoy being alone, reach out to your single friends to hang out for a while. Play games, watch movies, get mani-pedis—have a relaxing time without all the pressure the day can bring. Bonus points if you can manage to avoid complaining about your relationship status.
Whether you decide to celebrate the holiday or avoid it altogether, recognize that it is only one day! You will have plenty of other opportunities to wear red, and to celebrate love and romance. In fact, you can “F that” everyday if the mood hits you!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
