Living & Wellness: 15 things to do by yourself on Valentine's day
Where there is love there is life."
Mahatma Gandhi
"Single pringles" tend not to think much of valentines day. The reason being, they are unattached and clearly have no one to impress. However, this is an erroneous mentality. You do have someone to please and make feel special, and that person is YOU!- We are so preoccupied with not having anyone to share this supposedly special day with, we tend to forget the most crucial and significant kind of love:- which is "self-love".
"Self-love is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological, and spiritual growth".
You are as much a lovable person as your Colleagues, Neighbors, or Besties who will be getting gifts and pampering on Valentine's day.
So here are our Editor's 15 effortless ways to make this Valentine's day a special one for you;
"Single Pringle Someone who is currently not in a romantic relationship, but is fine with it".
Prep yourself
Self-love starts with personal care. For the Ladies, you can opt for a Mani-Pedi, without even leaving your house. You can totally DIY! Get a nice fancy nail polish, the prettiest color you can find, and apply it yourself within the comfort of your home. For the Men however it's so hard to DIY a haircut, so I'd strongly suggest making an appointment with a barber for a clean haircut. This simple act will make people wonder if you do have a date for Valentine's day, well of course you do! With yourself!
Prep something delicious
Although this Valentine's day happens to fall on a weekday, you can still make yourself a nice Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner, depending on what time you can set aside for this. Make something you have been craving for a long time, even if it's a simple pancake or toasted bread. The whole idea is to make yourself feel special and do something different.
Buy a wine
Of course, this applies if you are over 18 years *wink* and you love wine. So yes buy wine even if it's an inexpensive one.
Dance, Maybe?
Dancing is known to be a form of anti-stressor. I understand it's may sound a bit crazy to dance by yourself, but life itself is one big crazy place and no one will know that you were indeed dancing by yourself on Valentine's day. So curate an awesome music playlist and dance, even if you suck at it, after all, no one is watching.
Gift yourself something sentimental
Valentine's day is sentimental itself, so why not take the cue and get yourself something very special? Nothing over the top or too expensive if you are on a tight budget:- Could be that simple jewelry you've been eyeing or the self-help book you never got around to buy. Or maybe an entire collection of your favorite books( if you dig that kind of stuff, I know I do).
Rom-Com Marathon
Watch that rom-com that will make you smile so hard, and get you giddy. Of course, it's not real, but at least you are happy watching it.
Show platonic love
Who said Valentine's day should only be celebrated amongst lovers? If you can, why not spend the day showing platonic love to a friend, or do an act of charity, no matter how small?
Get a real plant
Give yourself and your space a fresh feel. The amazing benefits of having indoor plants cannot be over-emphasized. There are different options to choose from. Succulents, Fiddle figs, and many other indoor plants will thrive well with minimal care.
Treat yourself to a night out
Dinner at a restaurant, or your favorite local joint is another way to enjoy the day by yourself. Cap it off with any dessert takeout of your choice.
Social media detox for the day
Aside from the fact that this would save you from reminiscing about the good old days when you had someone to spend Valentine's day with, it will also give you time to catch up with some of your favorite "offline" hobbies.
Write yourself a love note
It's easier to criticize ourselves than for us to compliment ourselves. It's okay to write yourself a love note, this is not a cheesy act, nor a crazy idea. Write something you love about yourself, your dream, goals, vision, and aspirations. Have it framed if you like, and let it serve as a reminder of an act of self-love. So every time you feel like beating yourself up about a mistake or setback, take these notes out and read them.
Cozy up with a good book
Every Bibliophile knows the euphoric feeling of cozying up to a new book, whether romance or thriller; you may find yourself lost amongst the pages of these books, and you tend to forget how lonely you feel.
"Bibliophile:- A person who collects or has a great love of books"
Detox & Declutter
Since this valentines day falls on a weekday, you may not have the time to tackle all the junk that needs to be sorted(whether physical or emotional) take the time to do it over the weekend, clear out stuff you haven't and will never use, clean you space in preparation for your valentine's day plan. Get rid of toxic contacts, emails, and texts. Do this while blasting your favorite music playlist
Or don't even sweat it
This may sound a bit contradictory to all we've been preaching here. But you necessarily need not to make a big deal out of Valentine's day. You can just watch the day pass by like any other day, doing your normal routine. But what is the fun in that?
Love yourself
Without stressing much on Valentine's day, all you need to do is probably love yourself, give yourself a break, meditate, pray, exercise, and practice any act of self-love that makes you feel good about yourself.
Article by: Gbemisola Akinwale
Interior stylist & Lifestyle + Design writer
