How to Survive Valentine’s Day If You're SINGLE

by QuickieChick Laurel House

Let's face it, Valentine's Day is essentially a Hallmark holiday created for:
a)Love-sick couples who need yet another excuse to publicly profess their undying love and devotion.
b)Saps.
c) Needy and greedy women who live for chocolates encased in heart-shaped boxes and, lest we forget, the infamous robin's egg-blue box in which a diamond encrusted necklace nestles.
d)Okay, me- yes, ever since my mom made me write valentines to all 35 classmates in grade school I have been devoted to the day of love- single or happily (or even unhappily) coupled.

But learning to celebrate the day as a single can take some practice (and possibly years of counseling- no wonder my therapist drives a Benz!) Here are 4 tips to survive and honestly enjoy this day of love!

WATCH: What's Great About Being Single on Valentine's Day...



1. Get Naked (emotionally and physically)
You've got to face this simple fact once and for all- in order to be in a healthy and harmonious relationship in which you trade genuine lasting love, you have to first love yourself. I am talking everything about yourself! In order to work on your self-worth I have two essential activities that you truly should try: 1- create an "I Love Me" journal and write out all of the things that are fabulous about you. No one else is going to see this. Consider it your opportunity to be ruthlessly honest and even a bit arrogant. 2- walk around the house naked… often. Glide your hands along your skin and feel just how beautiful and perfect you are.



2. Treat yourself to one of your favorite things
Be it a box of chocolates, a massage, or even a diamond ring. If splurging on yourself is tough, rationalize it this way- if you were coupled, you would be wasting that cash on someone else. Why not spend it on yourself?!

3. Take the day off and luxuriate in some quality me-time.
Take a hike, play catch with your dog at the park, read a book at the beach, or just stay home all day and play Super Mario Bros 1 on the original Nintendo (nothing wrong with nostalgia to brighten your day).

4. Do something for someone else.
Case in point: I woke up one morning in a foul mood. A boyfriend had broken up with me the night before and all I wanted to do was marinate in my misery. After a few hours I decided to pry my butt off the bed and go for a walk. Along the way I crossed the path of about 200 exhausted marathoners on their last mile. Sweat streamed from their pores and their faces articulated more agony than even I could imagine. Since I had no water, Luna bars or a finish line to take the pain away, I looked one particularly pathetic runner in the eye and smiled. Her expression instantly softened and she responded with the most genuinely thankful smile. Somehow my smile lightened her day, and her smile brightened mine. Moral of my rambling anecdote: doing something for someone else can actually be construed as selfishly satisfying.

So happy Valentine's Day to all of you singles out there! This time dedicated solely to yourself could be the best of your life- when you don't depend on another half to be whole, you are fabulous enough to be whole on your own.

xx
Laurel

Laurel House is a Lifestylist, Dating and Relationship Expert, 4x published Lifestyle Author, and nationally recognized Print and Online Magazine Writer covering travel, relationships, healthy food and fitness (New You, Women's Health, First for Women, Men's Journal, Yahoo! Shine, Elegant Bride, Fit, Spa, Fit Yoga, Playboy, etc). Beyond writing, she has appeared as an expert on television morning shows including E! News, Weekend TODAY, The Daily Buzz, Better.TV, KTLA Morning News, CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC Morning News shows both locally and nationally, and her YouTube videos have received over 9 million views. Her 4th book "QuickieChick's Cheat Sheet to Life, Love, Food, Fitness, Fashion and Finance on a Less than Fabulous Budget" was published by St. Martin's in May 2012. She is also hired to give personalized dating and relationship advice at ScrewingTheRules.com.