Happy Valentine’s Day!
Regardless of your relationship status, you deserve a little love today (and every other day ). If you’re single, treat yourself and if you’re in a relationship go out of your way to show your love.
Now, it seems simple but we all know it’s not. Valentine’s Day is a lot of pressure whether you’re single or whether you’re in a relationship, or anything in between. And with the pressure, there can be an abundance of mixed emotions associated with it.
The Good:
Valentine’s Day sets aside a time to express your love and show appreciation for each other. It gives us an excuse to eat chocolates and treats, buy flowers, be cheesy and creative with our gifts. It’s a great day to rent a movie, cuddle up and enjoy being present with your loved ones. It’s a day that can make us feel especially loved by friends, family and significant others. Valentine’s Day allows us to plan activities with our friends and it lets us express the way we appreciate the loved ones in our lives. And for the girls out there, it’s a day where we can get dressed up, do our make-up and curl our hair without having a true reason. What’s not to love? Well…
The Bad:
The money, the pressure, the commotion, the stress to name a few. I won’t say I hate Valentine’s Day, but I definitely feel the pressure like most of us do. Standing in the card aisle with what feels like hundreds of other people, reading cheesy cards trying to pick a card that fits my relationship and leaving the store empty handed. Using Pinterest to find clever ideas and only finding cliche or expensive gift ideas. Finally coming up with an idea but can’t find the item, the materials or the time to execute. Feeling worried that your significant other may have spent more money or more time and feeling guilty. And for the singles out there, the grocery stores are flooded with hearts and candy for an entire month ahead of time, stressing the fact that your single every single time you walk in.
The Ugly:
Valentine’s Day does a fantastic job of making those who are not in a relationship feel alone and sad. And it does an even better job of making it apparent that being in a relationship is what society focuses on (at least in the month of February). We’ve all heard it called “single’s awareness day” and to an extent, this is extremely accurate. Being single isn’t a bad thing, yet somehow this one day makes it seem that way. Valentine’s Day makes it hard to be single and it can bring tears and hard feelings. It also can be an extremely difficult day for those who are recently out of a relationship or for those who have lost loved ones. It’s no secret that many individuals ‘hate’ Valentine’s Day simply because of the emotions associated with it. The mushy gushy, the love notes and overload of couples on Valentine’s Day is too much for some to handle. The emotions can be ‘ugly’ but they don’t have to be. Whatever you are and whoever you’re with on this day, embrace it.
Valentine’s Day, not just for couples. Spread a little love today and enjoy whatever you are and whoever you’re with. Embrace the hearts, the red, the pink, treat yourself and indulge in whatever makes your heart happy. Happy Valentine’s Day!
taylorelisa 