Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, a day that may have some feeling sad and anxious. There is a lot of hype surrounding this day. The media tells us we should be madly in love and strive towards having the “perfect” relationship like we see on TV commercials and in movies. They show us that perfect mate, with a beautiful face and body, who says the most profound, loving things. And if that’s not enough, they want us to long for the perfect gift!
Relationships come in all shapes and sizes. For those who are single, remember that your friends and family are also important relationships. They can be the perfect company for a Friday that just happens to also be Valentine’s Day.
Here are some things you can do to make your Valentine’s Day special:
1- Call some friends of family members and make dinner plans. Celebrate the fact that it’s Friday.
2- Watch a movie you’ve been dying to see. If you’d rather not be alone, invite someone to watch it with you.
3- Buy yourself that “perfect” piece of jewelry, flowers, or chocolates. You’ll be sure to get exactly what you want if you buy it yourself.
4- Buy a single friend flowers or chocolates, you’ll make their day.
5- Set up a “secret cupid” gift sharing with friends so you all get something special and unexpected on Valentine’s Day.
6- Volunteer to work with those less fortunate or with animals.
7- Tell people what you need so they can be there for you.
8- Pamper yourself or make a plan to pamper yourself so you have something to look forward to.
I invite you to read a fuller version of this article which can be found at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-without-anxiety/201402/single-valentines-day
I invite you to view the following video, given at a TED talk by a woman who beautifully describes how her life was totally changed by Rapid Resolution Therapy.
Sometimes we stay in one place even when we think we’d like to be someplace else as a way of avoiding the problem. For instance, does your marriage feel stale, unfulfilling? Perhaps you daydream about leaving the marriage and finding someone more exciting. Is it possible that your daydreams are keeping you rooted in the problems rather than using the energy to work on the marriage? Maybe you and your spouse need to begin to talk about the problems or see a marriage counselor.
Almost everyone faces this new transition with trepidation. Yes, you’re going to have freedom, perhaps have the house alone all to yourself, or to you and your husband, but at what cost? Will you be lonely? Will you be able to find things to do? Will your child still need you? No wonder you’re scared, sad, anxious. Change is scary. You’re transitioning into the unknown. But this is not a crisis. It’s just a new stage in life, an inevitable change that most of us hope we and our children will reach.
