Being single isn’t always bad. There is a definite distinction between being lonely and being alone. Usually I’m alone and I’m OK with that. It actually has its advantages, like I can plan my own life and not have to worry about someone else and his plans. I also don’t have to make sure my legs are hairless all the time (big plus)! Yes, dating can be torturous but it can also be fun. I actually went on a pretty good first date recently

But unfortunately that first date led me to feeling not alone this Schmalentines Day, but rather lonely…
Don’t cry for me though, I have great friends and I am bouncing back. I’m just taking a little strain on this day of commercialised love.

So here are some tips to surviving the commercialisation of love if you are single like me:

• Avoid social networks! Twitter isn’t so bad today but Facebook! Yikes! Particularly avoid Facebook if you are friends with both members of a newly married couple! That is a knife in the gut right there.
• Talk to a friend who is also single but feeling alone rather than lonely.
• Don’t go anywhere near the shops! Even the cafes at garages are guilty of over promoting chocolates and flowers. Also try and avoid the bigger shops for a couple of days after today, they will have all the red, heart-shaped stuff they didn’t sell on promotion.
• Now the general plan on this lonely evening is to watch movies that are completely unromantic, such as slasher movies, action movies or gross you out horrors. I reckon this is a mistake. These films tend to have the lead characters falling in love and making huge sacrifices or taking stupid risks to save their new found love. This sucks! So I’d say rather watch a RomCom where you know they are going to get the guy or the girl. I do this because the leads will usually do stupid things which you can laugh at and the support characters are also normally good fun! Also when they do get together at the end, you can throw your popcorn at the screen and tell the happy couple that it may all be sunshine and roses now, but it will fade and at least one of them will get fat! This makes me feel better

• And lastly, remember that today is just a day. And no one should be allowed to make you feel crap for the fact that you are on your own. So if you are alone and not lonely, cheer up, it’s just one stupid day! Don’t let it make you feel lonely. And if you are feeling lonely, I get it, it really sucks, but we’ll make it. Especially because if you look around I’m sure you’ll find you aren’t actually on your own.

Excuse me while I go take my own advice there

Happy Schmalentines Day everyone. Remember someone loves you, just the way you are, I promise!