Uncomfortable Lingerie & Overpriced Chocolate: Some Self-Love for this V-Day
It’s Valentine’s Day, that time of year when we reject red roses, overpriced chocolate, and all those Instagram posts showcasing virtually the same photo of a candlelit dinner. This isn’t to say those traditions aren’t nice — it’s just that so many of them have just become too cliché, and, on a day that claims to celebrate love, they’re turned it into its complete antithesis: a commercial frenzy rather than a celebration of romance. So forget the dinner date and bouquet — I’m here to claim that self-love should go above all, and not just on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be about how much you spend or even about doing anything at all. If you’re single on Valentine’s Day, you should consider yourself lucky in that you don’t have to suffer sitting in a restaurant full of couples that is exactly the same as any other night except for the tacky heart bunting.
This year, reject those cliches and spend the night looking after yourself. Go to bed early and wake up feeling refreshed. Maybe have a bath, do a face mask, and declutter, or try something new that you’ve always wanted to. Have a dinner with friends in the evening, maybe bake together, take cute photos, or whip up some cocktails afterwards. Then the next day do the same. Or whatever you want! Just celebrate being you and your own independence.
Just like tiny chocolates in an oversized heart-shaped box, old Valentine’s Day traditions can be sickly. Taking time for yourself is so important, and honestly doesn’t always need to have a whole day dedicated to it. Enjoy today, but also celebrate every day! Why not have a box of chocolates on April 30th, or buy yourself that necklace you’ve always liked in July? This isn’t a cringy appeal to “love yourself and then others will!”, but rather a focus on the sacred activity of simply appreciating whom you are. Remember, if you’re single or in a relationship, don’t let the date determine how you spend your day —do what you want! You really can make every day anti-Valentine’s Day.