If you don’t have a date for Valentine’s Day, there’s no need to feel miserable about it.
Unfortunately, we have fallen into the trap of letting advertisers run our lives. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we are bombarded with commercials, advertisements, and store displays implying that you are normal only if you have a romantic relationship with someone.
The facts prove the opposite. Nearly 29 million Americans live alone, according to the US Census Bureau, which is about 26 percent of the population. And about 96 million Americans, or 43 percent of those 15 and older, are single.
Let’s be honest. Billions of dollars can be made selling Valentine’s Day greeting cards, jewelry, candy, flowers, and other gifts. But single people need to get over the guilt that something happens to them if they don’t have someone special on Valentine’s Day.
The single life is difficult enough, without artificial pressures. Keeping a job, managing a home, saving for retirement, and other tasks can be very stressful when you don’t have help. Instead of punishing yourself because you will spend Valentine’s Day alone, congratulate yourself on facing all the challenges that single life presents you.
Here are some practical tips for singles to survive a Valentine’s Day without dating:
1. See how far you’ve come.
Review the past year and celebrate your accomplishments. Focus on friends and family, rather than a romantic relationship. Give yourself credit for being a strong, independent person who is growing, learning, and becoming more self-reliant every day. What you are doing is an important achievement and you must acknowledge it.
2. See where you are going.
If you want to be in a romantic relationship, use Valentine’s Day to motivate yourself to do something about it, like asking your friends to be a matchmaker or researching online dating services. But do it because it is something you want, not because you are influenced by outside influences. And if you’re waiting for something to happen, don’t put your life on hold until it happens.
3. See life honestly.
Being alone is infinitely better than being in an unhappy marriage or abusive relationship. Lowering morale to attract someone is also not the answer. See through the idealistic images in advertising, movies, and television, and the way to do that is by building a strong, positive image of yourself. The better you feel about yourself, the less artificial pressure will bother you.