{"id":5291,"date":"2014-02-14T12:01:50","date_gmt":"2014-02-14T17:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=5291"},"modified":"2014-02-10T18:15:41","modified_gmt":"2014-02-10T23:15:41","slug":"be-your-own-valentine-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2014\/02\/be-your-own-valentine-today.html","title":{"rendered":"Be Your Own Valentine Today!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Heart<\/a>I was just talking to a guy about Valentine\u2019s Day and was surprised when he said he dreaded February 14th. There was no special woman in his life and he and his buddies would probably drown their sorrows about not having a girlfriend with beer. I was surprised, since I always assume it\u2019s women who hate being solo on this day designated for love. But I realized the hype around V-Day brings up loneliness for anyone who suppresses it at other times.<\/p>\n

I used to feel depressed when the day of love came and I had no special man to give me love. Years ago, when neither of us had a boyfriend, a friend and I spent the day together, lamenting about each guy we passed carrying flowers or seeing couples walking hand in hand. We\u2019d cry, then drown our sorrows in chocolate. For many years, Valentine\u2019s Day meant I had to have a guy to give me love or life was bad. Until\u2026<\/p>\n

I was seeing a guy I\u2019ll call Ben for many months. He was quite romantic and I greatly looked forward to being with him on V-Day. While I knew he had deep issues about women, he\u2019d kept them in check till 5 days before that day, when he picked an irrational fight. At first, I tried to appease him, literally thinking I had to keep him until after the big day. Fortunately, good sense made me cut him off permanently. But I was super disappointed about not having someone to romance me on the red-letter day of love.<\/p>\n

I felt sad about facing V-Day without love, or roses. I woke up that day in a funk. Moping through my apartment, reality hit me. If I loved myself as much as I said I did, I should be my own valentine today. The guy I broke up with didn\u2019t love me but I loved me! Why not show me the love I wanted from a guy? There\u2019s so much pressure on us to have romance on this one day that\u2019s given so much importance because of the hype created by all the companies that profit from selling the flowers, candy, jewelry, cards, etc. that we\u2019ve been convinced to believe makes us feel loved.<\/p>\n

A valuable lesson hit me that day: Romance and love aren\u2019t the same, yet they get mixed up on Valentine\u2019s Day. Just because someone gives you all the expected romantic trappings, it doesn\u2019t mean he or she loves you or will be there for you when you need support. For years I believed that I was nothing without it and let that belief depress me every February 14th when I didn\u2019t have a man. Why not own my love of self on V-Day and have a special day?<\/p>\n

I planned a loving evening with my favorite takeout and a movie I\u2019d been saving to watch for a special occasion. No more spending time with friends who’d bring me down! As I walked through the streets and saw men carrying flowers, instead of getting depressed, I decided, why not buy one special rose for myself? Remembering that once I’d gotten tawny orange roses that I especially loved, I set off to find one. It wasn\u2019t easy but I was on a love mission and late in the day I visited a very expensive florist and found my perfect rose. It was 10 bucks for one but I was worth it!<\/p>\n

I loved that rose and dried it after several days, keeping it as a symbol of the beauty of loving me. V-Day doesn\u2019t phase me anymore if I don\u2019t have a boyfriend. Right now I\u2019m solo but I\u2019ll celebrating loving me.When you have self-love, you\u2019re never alone on Valentine\u2019s Day, unless you choose to make someone else\u2019s love more important than the love you have for YOU. My biggest blessing is finding and keeping the love I have for me! Whether I’m in a relationship or not, I will always be my own valentine first.<\/p>\n

Be your own valentine today! Own self-love. Make yourself happy. Watch my self-love video below and remind yourself how powerful self love is. I wish you a Valentine\u2019s Day full of self-love.<\/p>\n

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