Loneliness is piercing, painful, pervasive, and heavy. In the best of times, Valentine’s Day evokes mixed emotions. In a pandemic, it can easily highlight the difficulty of dating in the digital age and provoke feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
This year, our Atlanta counselors have some tips to help you enjoy your day, even if you don’t have a partner.
Get Into a Group
Although friendship doesn’t always seem to provide the same satisfaction as romantic love, adequate socialization helps to stave off loneliness and increase sense of belonging. Some ideas for a Valentine’s get together include:
- Axe-throwing
- Hosting a gourmet potluck
- Have a pajama game night (can do virtually)
- Have a movie marathon (can do virtually)
- Do a PowerPoint night (can do virtually)
- Scavenger Hunt (can do virtually)
- Bowling
It doesn’t matter what you do – just enjoy the time with your friend group.
Reconnect With Yourself
When did you last invest time in doing something that you enjoy? It can be tough to make time for pleasurable activities when juggling work, relationships, and other obligations. But if you feel most connected and grounded when you’re in nature, it might be time for you to go hiking – or even just for a walk in your neighborhood.
Maybe you feel most serene and positive towards yourself when you’re treating yourself kindly. You may benefit from giving yourself a pedicure or facial, in comfortable clothes, and listening to music, a podcast, a book, or yourself repeating affirmations about your awesomeness.
If you have the resources and time, you might enjoy taking a solo trip somewhere. New experiences stimulate dopamine, which leaves us feeling happier, motivated, more creative, and more satisfied.
Set Intentions
This may seem like a strange idea for dealing with Valentine’s Day without a partner, but hear us out. Thinking about the life you want, the strengths you want to develop, and the path to fulfillment for you can be a fun and creative way to celebrate.
You can show yourself love on Valentine’s Day by developing a plan and goals to let yourself shine and maximize your potential! You can even grab a friend and do this together, using creative tools like a vision board. Or you can help each other identify roadblocks to the things you want and engage in strategizing for your mutual success.
Obviously not all of these ideas will feel feasible or interesting to every person. These are just meant as a jumping off point: Our hope is that they generate some ideas that feel good for you. If you feel like part of taking care of you is to connect with an Atlanta counselor, we hope that you won’t hesitate. Please reach out to set an appointment today.
