How to Deal with Loneliness Around Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s day is just around the corner. For many people that means celebrating with their spouse or partner and showing them extra love and attention. But for others, Valentine’s Day is a sad reminder that they are single or are perhaps grieving the recent loss of their significant other. This can be a tough time of the year for so many and for so many reasons.
If you are celebrating it alone this year, here are a few ways you can alleviate your sadness this Valentine’s Day.
Give Yourself a Break
It’s hard to feel lonely, but it’s even worse to scold yourself for doing so. I know it’s especially difficult when it seems like everyone else on social media is in love and having a fabulous day. But loneliness is not an indication that you’re doing anything wrong or that there is something wrong with you.
Even people that are in relationships can feel incredibly lonely. Loneliness affects everyone at some point in their life. This is a time to be loving and compassionate with yourself.
Take Yourself on a Date
How many times during the year do you make a real effort to show yourself love? If you’re like most people, you don’t really think much about how you treat yourself. So let’s think about you!!
This Valentine’s Day, if you find yourself a party of one, focus more of your love and attention on yourself. Take yourself out to a nice dinner, go to a movie or yoga class and reach out to friends that might be needing your company.
Take a nice long bath. Listen to your favorite band or read a favorite book. Buy yourself a little gift on the way home from work. Use this Valentine’s Day to commit to showing yourself more love and kindness throughout the year.
Show Your Love for Others
Valentine’s Day is a holiday to show love. No one says that love must be shown in a romantic way.
This is a great time to show your affection and appreciation to all the wonderful people in your life. Get your best friend a box of chocolates or your mom a bouquet of flowers. Put a card on your neighbor’s windshield and your coworker’s computer monitor.
You can be filled with love by being loved, and you can be filled with love by loving others. The more love YOU show this holiday, the more love you will feel inside. And you would be amazed at how the loneliness quickly slips away when you are full of love. Trust me, it feels good.
Please don’t let the commercialism of the holiday make you feel alone and isolated. You really can have a lovely Valentine’s day if you show yourself and others loving kindness.