4 Tips to Avoid Feeling Disappointed on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and while we often say, “All you need is love,” there are still certain expectations that come with the holiday. Whether you’re in a relationship (hoping your partner will send flowers to your workplace or pull off a grand romantic gesture by asking you to be their valentine) or rocking the single life (even if relatives are relentlessly asking if 2025 is when you’ll have someone special to celebrate this day with), the pressure to have something extra planned during Valentine’s Day can easily lead to a bit of disappointment.
We’ve put up a list of tips to help you sidestep that impending heartache (and headache) and ensure that your V-day is filled with love (or at least a day of self-care and me time).
Manage Your Expectations (It’s Not the Movies)
Let’s be real. If you’re expecting your partner to show up with a horse-drawn carriage, a 5-star dinner, and a surprise proposal under a fireworks display, congratulations—this might be the year you learn to curb your expectations. Sure, the movies make it look easy, but real life involves real financial struggles like student loans or credit card debts. So, dial it down a little, especially if you know your partner is struggling to make ends meet. Besides, you can still have a romantic celebration without your partner ending up destitute.
Embrace the Single Life
Who says you need a date to have an amazing Valentine’s Day? The only commitment you need to make is to stream all these cheesy rom-coms while eating a box of pizza and drinking a bottle of some good wine.
Being single means zero drama, no awkward small talk and asking a date, “So, what do you do for work?” Plus, you get to buy the chocolates that you really want instead of receiving a box that is free when you get a tank full of gas.
Stop Comparing your Life to Instagram Posts
Again, not everything you see on social media is true. Most, if not all, are perfectly curated to make others feel bad about their lives. During Valentine’s Day, you’d think everyone’s in a healthy and loving relationship because of the photos and videos of bouquets of flowers, heart-shaped balloons, and linking arms while drinking champagne. Instead of feeling lonely that you’re not spending February 14 in Paris drinking coffee and eating croissants with the love of your life, turn off your phone and focus on the love that you already have in your life.
Besides, that couple who often post cutesy pics and videos on social media might just be trying to convince everybody (and themselves!) that they’re madly in love with each other and are not having problems in their relationship. This article from Stanford University perfectly sums social media in one sentence, “One of the joys of social media is the paradigm of choice: you choose to post whatever you want whenever you want to; you choose to post the good, and to exclude the bad.”
Avoid Overthinking Date Night Plans During Valentine’s Day
If you’re in a relationship, Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be an elaborate production. While social media or movies may try to convince you that you need a five-course meal from a romantic, not to mention, expensive, restaurant, a simple dinner date, a cozy night in, or even a spontaneous walk in the park can be just as meaningful and a lot less stressful. Avoid the pressure of trying to plan the perfect evening, because the person you’re with probably just wants to spend time with you, not an Instagram-worthy experience. Keep it chill and spontaneous. It’s more authentic that way.
