Curing the Valentine’s Day Blues
Ah February, the month when aisles at grocery stores are filled with pink and red candy, hearts,
balloons and stuffed animals. The month when restaurants are showing off their limited edition,
three-course Valentine’s Day menu and magazines are featuring the best dates to take your
significant other on. But, there’s only one “problem” – you’re single as a Pringle and the only
plans you have so far to do on Valentine’s Day are cuddling with a blanket and ordering takeout.
If you’re feeling lonely during the month of love, the good news is there’s something you can do
about it! Let’s dive in:
- Pringles Stick Together
There can be a certain stigma attached to Valentine’s Day, that it is a holiday meant to be
romantically celebrated only by couples in love. This isn’t all the way true. Valentine’s Day is
also a day to celebrate friendship. The saying, “Single as a Pringle,” also isn’t 100% accurate –
Pringles are bought in a pack together, they’re not alone. Grab your closest friends and plan an
evening together. You don’t have to go to the nicest restaurant either. Set up a paint and sip, a
movie marathon or a game night in your own living room! Surrounding yourself with the people
you love is a great cure for the Valentine’s Day blues. - Put You First
Maybe you’re craving some much-needed you time. Valentine’s Day is a day to show love –
even to yourself! Treat yourself to some shopping, light candles in your bathroom while you
soak in a relaxing bubble bath or write yourself an encouraging letter. Don’t forget that you are
worth loving! Spending quality time with yourself is beneficial not only for your mental health but
it also gives you the bandwidth to be able to love others properly. - Branch Out
But what if you’re a single parent with kids or what if you and your partner couldn’t find a
babysitter available on the 14th? Valentine’s Day can also be a day set aside to show love to
those in need in your community. Purge your closet of the clothes you don’t ever wear anymore
and donate them to a shelter, buy some sandwiches or blankets and give them to people
experiencing homelessness, pay for a stranger’s coffee or volunteer with yours truly by visiting
this link. Through branching out, you could make someone’s
Valentine’s Day a special one they won’t soon forget!
Feeling lonely isn’t fun at all and on Valentine’s Day it can be very in-your-face. Having a plan in
place to alleviate those feelings can help you actually enjoy Valentine’s Day and as a bonus,
make it special for others! If you feel like you have no one to talk to, 988 is the answer. Dial 988
to be connected with a mental health professional who can assist you in finding the perfect
resources to fit your needs. We hope you feel loved this Valentine’s Day because you are worth
it!