Valentine’s Day can be depressing for the single people. Here is how you deal with the blues.
Get some perspective.
If you feel sad because Valentine’s Day causes feelings of loneliness and reminds you that you’re “just” a single, it might help to realize that there are plenty of other single people experiencing the same blues too.
Ponder over the fact that while some of them might be feeling as depressed as you, some of them are almost certainly having a wonderful time snickering at the emptiness of Valentine’s Day or not even bothering to give it any importance. And then there are many couples who resist Valentine’s Day as much as possible, hopeless of the pressure to follow the tradition of purchasing gifts and celebrating the occasion and who find the commercialization of Valentine’s Day tactless even though they’re in love.
Remind yourself that the reimbursement of Valentine’s day are realized in the cashier’s till of the florist, candy retailers, gift stores and restaurants catering for romantic dinners for two.
Love your singleness.
Think about all the wonderful benefits of being single, from not fighting over the TV remote control to being able to keep your living space as clean or as untidy as you’d like. Don’t fall for the illusion that everyone’s a couple and happy as a result. There are many very happy single people but it’s just not currently stylish to cover the happiness of being single in media or political discourse.
Write a list of all the good points about being single. For example, free time, no compromises on the home front, less responsibilities, etc. And think about how some of those good points would evaporate within a relationship. Focus on the good things rather than seeing drawbacks.
If people choose to rub your “singleness” in your face on Valentine’s Day, be strong and reply with compassion: “I like being single. I get to choose how I want to live without having to make compromises, meals, or even the bed.”
Be happy within yourself regardless of your relationship status.
If taken too seriously, this unhealthy perspective of another person completing you can mean co-dependence, loss of independence, and losing yourself in another person. And do relationships do not necessarily mean happy endings. Divorce statistics and the stories of unhappy marriages seem to show otherwise for a large group of people. Rather than feeling down and depressed on Valentine’s Day, celebrate the strengths and achievements that give evidence to you being a whole and healthy person, a person who has space for love should it come along but who does not need such a relationship to create self-worth and happiness right now.
