When February rolls around, it might start to feel like there are only two ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day: either happily in a relationship or feeling sad about being single. With pictures of happy couples plastered all over Instagram, it’s easy to feel like you’re missing out.
Despite what social media tells us, there is nothing wrong with spending Valentine’s Day alone. If you’re single, celebrate this special day by taking yourself on a date! Here are five fun ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day solo:
Plan a night out with your single friends
Trust me, you’re definitely not the only one spending Valentine’s Day alone. Instead of staying home and feeling miserable, plan a night out with your single friends. Treat yourself with a fancy dinner and cocktails, and if you’re up for it, try going dancing, out for karaoke, or plan an escape-the-room event! You’ll be too busy having fun to even think about your relationship status!
Pamper yourself
Going to a spa might sound expensive, but there are plenty of affordable mani/pedi and massage deals out there. Check out Groupon for great discounts when you plan your next spa session! Allocating a day to pamper yourself every once in a while is a really good way of enforcing a time-out in your busy life. I treat mani/pedi sessions as scheduled meetings with myself, where I’m not allowed to check my emails or answer work calls. What’s a better excuse to pamper yourself with some me time than Valentine’s Day?
Bake something for yourself
If you’d prefer to have a quiet Valentine’s Day in, try baking! It can be really relaxing and satisfying to make a delicious sweet treat just for you. Check out CountryLiving and Kitchn for easy microwave mug desserts you can make in minutes! You can even invite a few friends over for a bake feast and try out different recipes together.
Buy something nice for yourself
Remember those shoes you loved but didn’t buy because they were too pricey? The leather bag that you’ve wanted for ages? Or that latest gadget you’ve been eyeing every time you go to the mall? Go ahead, splurge and buy something nice for yourself. You don’t have to wait for someone to treat you to something nice. You deserve to treat yo self with a gift every now and then!
Do something nice for someone else
If you’re feeling really gloomy this Valentine’s Day, try doing something nice for someone else instead. A Harvard Business School study found that people who spend money on others report greater happiness than those who only spend on themselves. The research concluded that prosocial spending activates the reward areas of the brain. Thus, the more money people give away, the happier they are afterward. Even the smallest pay it forward gestures like paying for someone’s coffee behind you in the line or donating your old clothes to the nearest shelter can make a big difference! If you have time, try volunteering at a nursing home and organize a Valentine’s Day party for the folks there, you’ll make a world of difference.
Originally published on February 9, 2018.