Valentine's Day is notoriously thought of as one of the worst days of the year for anyone who's single. But really, who said it had to be that way? Feb. 14 is just another holiday, and it only holds as much significance as you give it in your mind. Unfortunately, if love is bringing you down, it can be hard to feel good on Valentine's Day — no matter how much you want to. Between the flood of social media posts from coupled up friends receiving elaborate gifts, and the advertisements from stores and brands that make you feel pressured to be in a relationship, it can be a rough time. This is true whether you're very single or just dissatisfied with the way your significant other has handled the holiday. That's why self-care tips for Valentine's Day are so important — you deserve to feel good about yourself and to have a great day no matter what!
Approaching self-care on V-Day shouldn't just be about doing one small thing for yourself, or trying to pretend the day doesn't exist. Instead, it should be about nurturing yourself, loving yourself, and feeling at peace with whatever situation you're in at the moment. Valentine's Day is about celebrating love, so why not celebrate loving yourself? These self-care tips will help you get there — and while they're great for anyone who is feeling down about the day, they're also obviously for anyone. Because, as corny as it sounds, your relationship with yourself is just as important as any other one.
1Hang Out With Your Friends
You don't need to be alone on Valentine's Day if that's going to leave you feeling miserable. Instead, try to make plans with a friend or a few friends. And no, it doesn't have to be a "Galentine's Day" celebration — although it certainly can be if you want it to. Otherwise, plan something low-key but fun: go out to dinner, see movie you've been wanting to see, have them over for a glass of wine and Netflixing, or just grab some coffee. As long as you're all having fun, that's all that matters.
2Treat Yourself To A Gift
Who says you can't buy yourself a heart-shaped box of delicious chocolates? Or that you can't treat yourself to a beautiful bouquet of flowers? Even if you don't want a cliche Valentine's Day gift, you can get yourself something you have been wanting, like that new sweater you've been eyeing or a pair of shoes you love. It might sound silly, but sometimes getting yourself something like that is nice.
3Meditate, Or Practice Yoga
You should definitely take some quiet time to yourself to reflect, shut your brain off, and destress. Wake up a little earlier than usual to get a good start to your day by doing a short meditation session (the Headspace app has 10-minute sessions you can try). It will put you in the right frame of mind to take on the day and relax you. You can also try yoga, which is a great way to destress, or just do any kind of exercise to make yourself feel awesome.
4Make Something You Love For Dinner
Who needs a fancy dinner at a restaurant when you could easily make yourself something delicious? Don't feel pressured to cook anything crazy, just make your favorite meal or something you really like, like mac and cheese or pizza. Or if you love to cook, challenge yourself by trying something new and exciting. It's a great way to keep yourself distracted, feel accomplished, and just eat something good.
5Take A Social Media Break
Social media can honestly be exhausting on Valentine's Day. People are posting one of two things: pictures of how they're celebrating with their significant other, or pictures or quotes on how much they hate the holiday. The energy is generally pretty negative, and it can really get you down. Try taking a break from social media for the day, or at least for a few hours at night. Instead, focus on doing something you like — you'll probably feel a lot better.
6Do Something That Makes You Smile
The best kind of self-care makes you feel good and keeps you smiling. But it's different for everyone! One person may feel great after reading a book, other people night need to do something more adventurous, like going for a hike. Whatever makes you smile, make time for it!
7Write Down What You're Grateful For
It's easy to feel like you're missing something in your life on Valentine's Day, even if you're generally pretty happy. To get around that, write down a list of everything you're grateful for. Read it over, really think about it, and feel more positive.
8Do Something That Helps You Destress
If you're feeling like you need to let off some steam, then do that. Maybe you need to let out some anger or sadness — it's totally OK to feel these things and not feel all empowered and happy. Do what works for you. Exercise is a great and healthy way to feel better and let go of the negative emotions. Adult coloring books are a fun way to destress. You can also have a good cry if you really need to.
9Check Something Off Your To-Do List
One of the best ways to feel good about yourself is to accomplish something you've had on your plate for a while. So, try to check at least one thing off your to-do list on Valentine's Day, whether it's something small or big. You'll feel awesome about yourself for getting it done.
10Pamper Yourself
Another way to treat yourself is to have a bit of a spa day. If you can swing it, go to an actual spa for a facial or massage (or both!). Get your nails done or get a nice pedicure. Or, if you want, just go home, run a bath, light a candle, out on a face mask, and zen out.
