​Love is in the air, and with Valentine's Day just around the corner, consumers are bombarded with all things related to love. Restaurants will soon be receiving a flood of reservations. Jewelry stores will see an increase in revenue, and marriage proposals will be given out like free iPod. Those who are single may find themselves on the outskirts of life, cursing that cherub Cupid, and rolling their eyes at couples who are in love. This can be an annoying and stressful time for those who are single, but it doesn't have to be.

There are ways to celebrate this season of love, even if you are single. For instance, you can celebrate the love you have for yourself. The most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself. If you don't have love for yourself, no one else will be able to love you. With that in mind, here are some ways you can celebrate the love you have for yourself.

1. Take yourself out for a date. Whether it is going to the movies, or a day at the spa, you deserve to spoil yourself.
2. Have a night in and cook your favorite meal. Pair your favorite meal with your favorite bottle of wine, and you will be ready for a relaxing and stress-free night.
3. Retail therapy. Nothing feels better than setting aside a little money to go on a shopping spree. Grab a comfortable pair of shoes and spend the day shopping.
4. Buy yourself some jewelry. Just because you don't have a special someone in your life, doesn't mean that you shouldn't go without. Buy yourself a beautiful necklace, or a shiny bracelet.

Valentine's day is a celebration of love, and it isn't just a day for couples. Those of you who are single can celebrate the day by showing yourself how much YOU love YOU.​

February 14th: It's a day of love, hearts, chocolate, candy, jewelry, proposals, presents, and lovey-dovey goo. It's certainly not a day for single gals....or is it? Hmmm..
Ladies, if you are single, and some of your friends are single, turn that frown upside down and celebrate the love of sisterhood. February 13th is your day, ladies! Zoom with your single gal pals and enjoy the festivities. How, you ask? Find out below:

1. Virtual slumber partayyy!
   Sure, we all left behind the tweenage slumber parties long ago, but we live in the time of reboots. Dust off those slumber party items, grab some games (Crimes Against Humanity is my recommendation), and pick up some food and wine. Gather together your favorite movies from back in the day, along with some music. Hell, if you have a karaoke machine, bring that out as well. Who doesn't appreciate drunken wine karaoke?
2. Facetime date!
   Are your single gal pals afar and not nearby? Tell your gal pals to pour a glass of wine, get some food, and get ready for an epic Galentine gab fest!
3. Braless Galentine's Day!
   We all know the over-the-shoulder-bolder-holders can be pretty confining. How about treating your tatas to some freedom? How come YOU have to enjoy all the freedom? Let the girls breathe! Btw, if you are working on Galentine's Day, you don't have to participate in this one. You can do it the day after LOL!
4. Right hook anyone who labels you as 'single. 
   Thaaanks Captain Obvi. We know we are single. Perhaps I will be the bigger person and NOT point out that your man was just checking out that barely legal blondie that just crossed your path. KThxBye!

Don't let the pairs of the world dim your solo glare. Stand tall, walk proudly, and take back this day, in the name of Galentine's. Can I get an Amen?

Btw, I know Galentine's Day is on February 13. However, I think we should celebrate it on the 14th. Let's get it done, ladies!

Heartbreak is considered to be one of the biggest pains in the world. It encompasses you, makes you feel like you're being tortured from the inside out. The emotional pains becomes physical, and there is no escape.
You'd rather chew glass than give someone your heart and soul again. You tell people that you will never date, fall in love, and get married again. They tell you that "everything takes time," and that "you will find love again." "It happens when you least expect it." 

​When you're in the midst of agony, that's the very LAST thing you want to hear. 
​
At this point, we can either sink further into misery, or we can completely throw ourselves into work/life/etc. 

​Goddamn, since when is it a sin to be single? Is there a flood coming that I don't know about? Should I be looking for a mate to repopulate the post-apocalyptic world with? Should I go back on Tinder, or should I call my ex?

What's the fucking problem with being single?

Being single, regardless of age, is not a sin (let me say it louder for the people in the back calling me an Old Maid: "BEING SINGLE, REGARDLESS OF AGE, IS NOT A SIN"). Despite the fact that life is everchanging, society thinks it's taboo for a woman over the age of 30 to be single. It gets worse the older you get. The push to couple-up happens in our mid-to-late 20s, and into our 30s. We are bombarded by family members who wonder why we are so single. They tell us that we need to "loosen up and find someone before we are too old to find a mate (there is no age limit on finding a mate. It happens when it's meant to happen)." You could be single for 40 years, and then find the greatest, most fantastic love of your dreams. 

​The "old maid" stigma is archaic and insulting. Society's blueprint on how things happen needs to be thrown out. Putting pressure on women to find a husband will ensure that a woman couples up with a guy that isn't right for her. Now she will be chained to him for the rest of her life, and she will live the rest of her life growing in despair. She will wish that she chose differently. God forbid if kids become involved. They will immediately pick up on the tension (let's face it, kids are sharper and smarter than we are). 
This will be your life if you live your life by society's blueprint. 

We deserve better than this dumbass blueprint. We deserve the greatest love of all, and that begins with loving yourself. Being single is not a sin. Lowering yourself to marry when you're not ready is a sin. 
Don't be pressured to live up to society's expectations. Live up to your own. 

​It is not a sin to be single. Trust the process, and fuck society's blueprint.  

You know what really grinds my gears? People who think that casual dating is the same thing as being single. No. They are different. Being single means you are working on YOU without any distractions. Casual dating means you are on those dating sites, chatting someone up, and meeting up for a good old fashioned 'Netflix and chill' sesh.
For years, I had the two mixed up. I would tell people I was single, even though I was casually talking to someone.  


Here are the definitions of single and casual dating (courtesy of Urban Dictionary):
Single: "For a friendly, considerate, and well-meaning person this can be a great period where one learns a lot about him/herself and life in general."

Casual dating: "When a man/woman goes out with another individual or many different people to configure compatibility."

See the difference? Please don't call yourself single if you are casually dating around. Just say you are dating around.
I do recommend that, if you find yourself in the realm of singledom, that you embrace it. Work on you, fall in love with yourself. Focus on your family and friends. Kick ass at work. Get your ish in order before moving into the casual dating realm.

So where does 'Yours Truly' fall? I am 100% completely single, and for the first time ever, I am loving it. I am learning so much about myself, and I'm becoming stronger. Insecurities that I once had, I don't have anymore. I'm appreciating my struggles, my journey, the scars on my body, the scars on my soul. Everything has brought me to this point. I'm working on me, with romantic relationships NOT being my endgame. My endgame is inner peace, and unwavering self-love.
If romance happens, great. If not, great. Again, romance is not as important to me as my own happiness is.