Manners Monday – “How to Survive Valentine’s Day as a Single”

Not everyone is perfectly paired off for Valentine’s Day. Once upon a time, I’m sure even Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie experienced a lonely night or two when the fateful holiday came around and there was no special person waiting for them in the wings. Valentine’s Day can be a tough holiday for a singleton and we’re not gonna sugar coat it by telling you to keep your chin up and put down the tub of chocolate ice cream you have been devouring with a shovel. Instead, we are going to politely point our finger at you and say, snap out of it sista!  

Trust us, it is a thousand times more pleasant to hang by yourself or with a friend than to grin and bear it with a male stand-in just to save yourself from being alone. For goodness' sake, don’t beat yourself up either! Better to embrace the holiday and use it as an opportunity to spend some quality time taking care of you.  After all, a thousand self-help books will confirm that you must love and accept yourself first in order to truly love and accept another. 

On the bright side, it’s not like the perfectly paired off couples are in a constant state of bliss.  They too have their share of real problems, even on Valentine’s Day. So pick yourself up, dust yourself off and take a look at our five inventive ways for reclaiming your self-confidence to ensure you come out of this holiday, not only with your dignity intact, but smelling like a rose.

1.  1. Be a Good Friend. There is nothing like a good female bonding session with your single friends on Valentine’s Day. Although it may seem last minute, play hostess to your girlfriends and invite them to a party at your place complete with mood music, scrumptious food and chick flicks. Purchase some decadent chocolates and French champagne to celebrate your singlehood and the value of supportive friends.

2. Raise Your Glass. Put on an eye-catching dress and head out for an evening on the town.  Arrange to meet a single friend at a nice bar where the two of you can share a toast to your fabulous selves.  Now that you’re relaxed and feeling good, test out your meet and greet skills by introducing yourself to a few new people. Engage in conversation and be sure to listen.  You never know who may be sitting beside you.  A future boss, companion, friend?  

3. Pamper Yourself.  Arrange an evening of pampering so that you feel your absolute best. Treat yourself to a blow dry at DryBar, take in a makeup lesson at Neiman’s, make a massage appointment at a spa, splurge on a mani/pedi including the paraffin wax for extra softness for your skin. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to take a class on painting or sculpture? Whatever your fancy, live it up because you certainly deserve it!

4. Do Some Soul Searching. Make this night all about you and a deep soul searching of what you want out of life.  We’re not telling you to stroll through the bookstore for the latest self-help book, instead we’re telling you to respect yourself and take action.  Grab some magazines and glue and begin creating a vision board, start journaling, write a love letter to yourself citing all of your positive attributes or do some mindful meditation.  Any one of these exercises is guaranteed to make you feel more confident and content come morning.

5. Break Out of Your Comfort Zone. In order to be a person of the world, you have to take risks. Use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to be adventurous and book an impromptu trip!  Take a drive in the car, hop on a plane, make arrangements to get out of town and take in a new environment.  If you don’t feel brave enough to go it alone, visit a distant friend or relative. Either way, the change of atmosphere will do you good.  When we open our minds, our hearts soon follow.

If you are down in the dumps, just Google Valentine's Day television episodes. I guarantee you'll find levity in the hundreds of sitcoms dedicated to a night of high expectations that went horribly awry.