February is widely known as the month for love and romance, making it a popular celebration for couples. But what about single people? If you happen to be single, being constantly exposed to hearts, roses, and romantic gestures can be another brutal reminder of your status. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! Whether you’re single by choice, waiting for the right partner, or going through a post-break-up, you can still be happy on during this Love Month.
Work On Your Hobbies and Talents
When you’re single, you can spend more time and energy on yourself. Celebrate the month by doing what you love like reading, drawing, gardening, and more. You can also try picking up a new skill or learning more about something you’re interested in. Developing your hobbies and talents is one way to cope with singlehood since it’s basically a time to work on becoming a better person (Shahrak et al., 2023). It also engages you which can distract you from any feelings of loneliness (Deckx et al., 2018).
Hang Out with Family and Friends
If you don’t have a romantic partner to spend the month with, why not spend it with other loved ones like your friends and family? Close, healthy relationships with your friends and family can still make you feel happy and supported. They can make you feel less lonely and more satisfied with your life just as much as a romantic partner could (Deckx et al., 2018; Girme et al., 2022). Hang out with them by watching movies together, grabbing lunch with them, or catching up with each other’s lives. Spending more time with family and friends can deepen relationships that could last for a lifetime.
Treat Yourself with Some Self-Care
Being single means having more freedom to care for yourself and to do whatever you want. As such, celebrate the Love Month by celebrating YOU. Treat yourself by making yourself dinner, getting something nice for yourself, or going to a salon. Rejuvenate yourself by going to a spa, getting a massage, or being healthy through exercise and diet. You may even spend the whole day doing some R&R. Treating yourself is not only a strategy to improve confidence (Shahrak et al., 2023), but it is also an expression of self-love.
Lower Your Expectations
Some single people may be unhappy and lonely because they have high, unrealistic expectations for their relationships, not only for a romantic partner but also for their own friends and family. Managing your expectations can help you combat feelings of loneliness and to appreciate those around you more. Reflect on yourself and how you can become a better person or potential romantic partner and reevaluate what you expect from a relationship (Bouwman et al., 2016).
Be Grateful for the Present
Having a romantic partner can be considered as a bonus. While they may be nice to have, you don’t need one to live a happy, fulfilling life. Redirect your focus to what makes you happy at present, no matter how simple they may be. Focus on your family, your friends, your current job, the commitments you enjoy, time you have for yourself, your progress and personal growth, and many more. Reflect on the things you’re grateful for by writing them down in a journal or talking to yourself about them. No matter if you’re in a relationship or not, practicing gratitude can make you feel happy and redirect your focus away from negative feelings about yourself and the holiday.
The Love Month can be a celebration of love, whether it be the love between couples or for yourself. There is nothing wrong with being single as you can still be happy and healthy even without a romantic partner. So, celebrate this Love Month however you want to and remember that you are loved and never truly alone.
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References
Bouwman, T. E., Aartsen, M. J., van Tilburg, T. G., & Stevens, N. L. (2017). Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 34(6), 793-811. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407516659158
Deckx, L., van den Akker, M., Buntinx, F., & van Driel, M. (2018). A systematic literature review on the association between loneliness and coping strategies. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 23(8), 899–916. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2018.1446096
Girme, Y. U., Park, Y., & MacDonald, G. (2023). Coping or thriving? Reviewing intrapersonal, interpersonal, and societal factors associated with well-being in singlehood from a within-group perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(5), 1097-1120. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916221136119
Shahrak, S. P., Brand, S., & Taghizadeh, Z. (2023). Coping with singleness. Women’s Midlife Health, 9, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-023-00086-1
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