Spinster’s Guide® to a Solo Valentine’s Day

Dearest Reader,

                    “All by myself, don’t want to be all by myself…”
                                                                      ~Celine Dion (“All by Myself”)

So, you were super busy all week, didn’t notice all the pink and red streamers at CVS, and completely forgot to corral your single friends for Valentine’s Day.  Now it’s the big holiday and you’re all alone.  What do you do? What do you do!  Here are some ideas to pull your day-of-hearts out of the dumpster:

*Grab some popcorn, a cool umbrella drink and watch a rom-com.  Bridget Jones’s Diary, Crazy Rich Asians, The Wedding Date, It’s Complicated, Last Holiday or Something New are all great choices!  

*Start a gratitude journal.  It’s a great way to shift your focus.

*Read: He’s Just Not That into You. This book, from the writers of Sex in the City, reaffirms what one wants from a relationship.  It also reminds the reader, being in no relationship is better than being in a bad relationship.

*Do something creative.  Paint, draw, write a poem, or create a song.  Creativity nourishes one’s soul.

*Call a friend and go for a walk.  Connecting and exercise are a powerful feel-good cocktail.

*Create a vision board.  Refocusing one’s life on future goals is very empowering and self-affirming.

*Stop by your local shelter and volunteer.  There’s nothing like unconditional dog or cat love.
 
*Make a delicious meal.  Taking the time to treat yourself well reaffirms your self- value.

*Do something for someone else. Shifting focus makes one remember what is important.

*Create a beautiful valentine for yourself.  Use feathers, glitter and all the stuff.  Post on the bathroom mirror where you can see it every day.

*Buy flowers and create a colorful arrangement.  Making your space more beautiful will lift your spirits.

*Read or listen to a great old-fashioned romantic novel like Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Frenchman’s Creek, or Rebecca.

*Check out Facebook events.  They always have stuff going on!  (Thanks Mary and Vickie for the idea!)

There’s a lot of hype and expectation that comes with Valentine’s Day but you get to choose how you want to do it.  I hope one of these ideas or a combination of them make your day a treat. 

 Happy Valentine’s Day, dear reader!

Love,
M.J.