Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you’re alone. Shocking, I know. Let’s re-read that first sentence again--but this time say it out loud until you believe it!
I want to let you in on a little secret: after a year of marriage I can say with full confidence I now have less time for friendships than when I was single.
Simply put, my husband and I enjoy spending time together, and outside of work, nights and weekends are all we have. When I was single, my schedule wasn’t consistent.
I lived more spontaneously.
This year, why not plan ahead and learn to celebrate Singleness Appreciation Day in place of Valentine’s Day?
Because one day shouldn’t define your worth.
Because posting your relationship status on Facebook is so last season.
What is Singleness Appreciation Day?
To some, it’s buying flowers for yourself, and others it’s getting a group of friends together. Maybe you all go see the newest Die Hard movie that releases on February 14th. This might be a great way to laugh at how ridiculous one day can bring so much pressure. Why not rebel and go see an action flick instead of crying over a chick flick while consuming an entire box of chocolates yourself. Anyone? Anyone?
Singleness is not a disease, so why must we view and treat it as such?
I spent many February 14ths as a single. In fact, I’ve only ever had one Valentine before my husband. I know the last thing you want to hear when you’re single is advice from someone who’s not. However, after my first Valentine, I was single for 12 years, 10 months, and 24 days before my husband Marc proposed to me on the beach.
You can trust me when I tell you I celebrated many Single Appreciation Days.
My favorite February 14th was the one where I got together with a group my girlfriends. There were about eight of us. Some knew each other, and some didn’t. Some were single and happy and some--like me--weren’t. I don’t even remember the movie we saw, but I remember sitting at Panera Bread beforehand chick chatting away.
Some of my best chats are chick chats.
If you’re a girl you know what I mean!
There was this unspoken rule among us. No one cried. We all had a great time encouraging one another knowing we weren’t alone. My most memorable moment from the night was getting all the girls to take a picture with me.
Everyone smiled!
Celebrating Singleness Appreciation Day replaces denial with relief.
It’s nice to know that you’re not alone. It’s fun to plop yourself down on a restaurant chair next to someone you know versus looking around hoping not to see couples. It’s like being really high up and telling yourself don’t look down! Once you look down, it’s over. Maybe Hallmark capitalizes on romantic couples, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gab with the girls (or guys) to provide much needed comic relief.
Here are some different ways you can celebrate Singles Appreciation Day:
Get out and dance the night away! Female’s rule the night on Valentine’s…I mean Singleness Awareness Day. One of the best ways to celebrate being single is throwing a dance party. Maybe it’s an impromptu Just Dance 4 in your living room with the Wii or maybe it’s out at a favorite club.
Have you seen the movie Valentine’s Day? It’s far from a great movie, but it has a lot of well-known actors and actresses. I love the part where Jessica Biel invites all her single girlfriends to dinner at a fancy Indian restaurant. It’s quite the contrast between her, a piñata, and the wedding party located directly across. My favorite part is when someone from her group decides to go all crazy with the bat on the piñata--and it interrupts the wedding. Oops.
Life is like a box of chocolates and a piñata.
Why not throw yourself a party? Notice I didn’t say pity--and invite those who know and love you well.
Maybe buy an expensive piñata or maybe not. Whatever it takes to appreciate the day and those around you.
Maybe your relationship status feels more important on this particular day than it needs to be. Yes, Valentine’s Day might feel far more fabulous than just a party to celebrate your singleness.
Celebrating Singleness Appreciation Day showers love instead of fear.
Maybe there is no Mr. Right or Mrs. Right in sight, but that doesn’t mean life shouldn’t be lived--and celebrated! My favorite Bible verse, one that I adopted from a very young age, is 2 Timothy 1:7 that says,
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (NIV 84).
Sometimes it’s easy to focus on the one thing that isn’t going right instead of noticing all the other things that are happening around you.
1. You are not alone.
2. You are invited to a super cool party- one where you get the chance to remind yourself and your girlfriends the love Christ has for them, especially on February 14th.
