The Philippine Online Chronicles

A few days ago, a friend of mine told me out of the blue, "Malapit na ang Valentine's Day. Nakaka-pressure." (Valentine's Day is near. I feel the pressure.") Yet while she said it with a laugh, I couldn't help but wonder if she did feel a bit pressured. After all, February 14 is just a few days away and as far as I know, she does not have a date. But where does this pressure come from, anyway?

Loving the single life

The feelings that come with being single vary for different types of people. Some love it; some find it a curse. And while deep inside you hope to find your perfect match real soon, there’s no reason to waste the time in between, right? If you know how to count your blessings, you might even find yourself thankful for being single, and not just on Valentine’s Day.

Mr. Right can be just around the corner, but before he arrives, here are some things you can do:

Work on your career. If there’s anything Hollywood taught us, it’s that marriages can expire faster than milk. Some people are just not meant to be lucky both in career and in love. So if you’re unlucky in love now, you might have better luck at work. For one thing, no one will get mad at you for forgetting a date because of overtime, or for failing to call because you were caught in a meeting. Being single is the best time to be a workaholic—your career has your undivided attention! After all, wouldn’t it be better to find love when you’ve already made it big in this department?

Put more money in your piggy bank. Being in a relationship costs a lot of money—all those gifts for the birthdays, month-saries, anniversaries, and not to mention Valentine’s Day and the Christmas season eats up what should have been savings. So be thankful you don’t have to spend on anyone but yourself.

Spend more time with your friends. One of the top complaints of the attached is that they don’t get to spend as much time with their friends compared to when they were still single. This scenario is quite common for couples because once you get into a relationship, guys can get all clingy or jealous or possessive, and before you know it, you can’t even meet your friends without asking for your guy’s permission first! So while you’re still single, love every minute of being with your friends.

Have fun with Mr. Right Now. While Mr. Right is still biding his time to find you, have a little harmless fun.

Being single is the best time to hone up those flirting and dating skills. You can’t do it when you’re attached, so now is the best time to strut about with those killer heels. Go out and meet new people. Remember that agreeing to go on a date doesn’t mean you want to marry the guy. Dating is about enjoying the freedom of being single so go ahead and have fun.

Hold off on the romantic movies. Watching movies that will only make you long for that special someone is the last thing you need to do on Valentine’s Day. Skip those Valentine’s Day-themed movies and instead watch flicks that are more hardcore. Movie recommendations: Hunger Games, Woman in Black, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Contraband. Don’t even think about reading any romantic novels either.

Change your playlist. Clear your MP3 player of songs that remind you of loves lost. Instead, feed your ears with songs like Unwritten, Put Your Records On, Bette Davis Eyes, Single Ladies—you get the drift.

Whatever happens, always look your best, because you never know when you’re going to bump into Jeremy Renner. Have a regular beauty treatment. Nowadays, there’s no excuse to look drab. Group buying sites are bursting with great bargains on salon deals. Make sure everything is in tiptop shape—hair, nails, skin, everything!

No amount of beauty regimen can make you glow like your smile can. Think happy thoughts. Positivity goes a long way. Start the day believing that anything can happen and that everyday can be the day you will meet your special someone. Now isn’t that something to smile about?

Image by Max Braun from Flickr.com. Some rights reserved.