Embracing the “Month of Love” on Your Own Terms
It’s that time of year again when shelves are stocked with chocolates, promotions are running for jewelry, and impressive displays of bouquets of flowers are found nearly everywhere you look.
For some, the month of February is an enjoyable time to celebrate shared love. The “picture perfect” Valentine’s Day is one of romance in an intimate setting, a nice meal, and grand gestures of affection. However, plenty individuals may find that the month of love and Valentine's Day holiday brings forth a time of disappointment.
With all the “hype” that is made of the holiday, some people may find themselves disillusioned or unsatisfied with their experience. The expectations and pressure from outside forces may bring about undesirable feelings including dread, frustration, and avoidance. Dissatisfaction with this time of year can increase feelings of anxiety, depression, or weakened self-esteem.
In response to some of the challenges that come in the month of love, keep the following recommendations in mind. They may assist in re-inventing your experience in order to regain joy and pleasure.
Expand Your Notion of Love
This is a great opportunity to explore and expand the idea of what love means outside of the mainstream “cookie cutter” version we often see displayed. Let this be a reminder that romance is not the only brand of love that matters. Try not to limit your use of the word “love” to just romantic partners. The world needs as much love as we can afford to give. Don’t forget to share some of that love with yourself before gifting all your energy to others.
Engage in Meaningful Activity
Distraction is a common go-to solution for redirecting our attention from unwanted subjects. However, we have options other than to avoid and distract the month away that allow us to engage in meaningful activities and make the most of our time.
Connect with friends over coffee or a meal.
Set up a time to try out that new hobby that you have been meaning to get around to.
Take your kids to a movie and indulge in some buttery popcorn during the quality time together.
Find any opportunity to celebrate in your own way.
Using your time to engage in something productive and meaningful can help to cast a more positive light on your experience.
Utilize Support Systems
We all have our own unique networks of support built through various avenues including work, school, family, social clubs, churches, and more. We are social beings by nature that sometimes crave engagement and interaction with others.
Looking for opportunities to share in each other’s experiences helps to cultivate thriving communities in our culture. Lean on your supports in times of need and use opportunities to give your support back to others when able. This is a great time of year to get creative in ways to support others.
Some ideas include visiting nursing homes, reaching out to those who may be especially vulnerable on Valentine's Day such as widows or widowers, or making kind notes for your neighbors with your kiddos.
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