Guys can you believe we are already a month into the new year!?!
It seems like such a crazy thing to wrap my mind around. Especially because I feel like we just started the year (and technically we did). But 31 days have come and gone and now its time to brace ourselves for another 28 days.
I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the month of February. I love it because Spring is on the horizon, which is my second favorite season (fall is my first). Springtime is also another season where the weather is absolutely perfect. It’s never too hot or too cold. It’s always just perfect. Which means that if come February 2 the Groundhog does not see his shadow, I’ll be able to start enjoying the beautiful weather earlier than planned (if you believe in that).
I “hate” it, which is honestly just more like despise it, because if the Groundhog does see his shadow that means I have to get through six more weeks of Winter. And anybody who knows me knows that I love Winter so long as I don’t have to be out and about it in. Sadly, that is not possible. But I’ve done it plenty of times before so if worst comes to worst, I’ll have to do it again.
But here’s to an early Spring! 🙂
I also sort of despise February because it’s also the month of love. And by love I’m talking about Valentine’s Day.
I have so many issues with that day, the main one being I don’t really understand why people celebrate it anyway. And it’s not because I have never had a valentine, I just don’t understand why some people make that day be the one day they choose to go above a beyond for their significant other. I mean shouldn’t every day be a day where you express your love and gratitude for your partner?
And I can understand the romanticism that lies behind Valentine’s Day. I just can’t understand why people make such a big deal about it. And I’m not talking about the couples who do express their love throughout the year. I’m talking about the couples who make this day such a big deal.
You know who you are, and you know who I’m talking about.
But I’m not here to ramble about all the reasons why I can’t stand Valentine’s Day. I’ll probably save that for another post. I’m here to once again remind you all to make yourself a priority.
We have a tendency to let the whole month of February be about couples. This is mainly due to the fact that Valentine’s Day falls in the month of February, and we have all be raised to see this day as a special day for couples. And it doesn’t help when everywhere you go you see Valentine’s Day related stuff hanging everywhere, which is just a reminder that this is the month of love. But I’m here to call complete bullshit on that for you.
First lets all be realistic, February is just another month in the year. There really isn’t anything about it that makes it super special. But that is just my opinion. For some people this month has a lot of significance. And I’m not talking about anniversaries, birthdays or anything like that. I’m just talking about having the opportunity to be over the top romantic with or by your partner.
So, for those of you who do feel some kind of love connection to this month, I may or may not be your girl. But for those of who you also share a love/hate relationship with this month, you are currently single and may or may not be ready to mingle, or even for those who are just simply trying to make it through February because time never stops, I might be your girl.
I’m going to list a couple of tips/activities that you can do to get through this month. For some people this is a hard month. For others, its enjoyable. And then of course there are people who just don’t really mind either way.
Well, no matter how you feel about February have no fear, here are some awesome tips/activities to help make the next 28 days manageable.
Tip #1 Don’t think about Valentine’s Day
I know
I said this post wouldn’t be about Valentine’s Day and it won’t. But we have to be realistic and honest with ourselves. There will come a day where everybody is talking and celebrating this day. So, something I have been doing for the past three years, which has actually been working wonders for me, is not thinking about this day. Instead I distract my mind with so many other activities that I often lose track of the days. I don’t even realize when Valentine’s Day has creeped up on me unless I am reminded by someone, at which point I don’t even care because I have a million other things I’d rather be concentrating on.
Tip #2 Plan something to do every day
I understand it may be a challenge for some of you to plan out a schedule for a whole month, but 
that’s not what I’m asking of you. I’m encouraging you to plan something to do every day that will serve as a treat to yourself. Go get your nails (guys manicures do not make you any less manly), have a late night watching movies, go out with the guys/girls, or have lunch with an old friend. It doesn’t matter what you do. Just set a goal to do at least one thing every day that you don’t normally do either because you don’t have the time (like most of us) or it just isn’t a part of your daily schedule.
Tip #3 Be go
od to yourself
Treat yourself, be your own secret admirer. If you want a box of chocolates don’t wait for someone to gift them to you, gift them to yourself. You want that big fluffy teddy bear, let yourself have it. You want a love letter, write one to yourself for yourself, you don’t need the love of another to feel special. Trust me guys this may seem weird but it works! I’ve been gifting myself at least three times throughout this month for the past three years and I’m telling you, it just makes you feel so loved and valued and appreciated for all that you do. It feels so good when you take the time to reward yourself for all your hard work, so please, please, please do it. We don’t praise ourselves enough and I personally believe it’s a habit we need to pick up on asap.
Tip #4 Watch Rom Coms
This probably won’t work for everybody but it work
s for me. I use this month as the perfect excuse to watch a bunch of rom coms (romantic comedy’s), and if you’re lucky I may blog about a few of my favorites throughout the month. I can’t really explain it but there’s something fulfilling about watching a love story unfold in the most epic yet hilarious way. It likes creates this perfect fantasy of what love could be like. And I know for me personally it just really compliments my personalit
y and highlights the kind of love I wouldn’t mind having.
Tip #5 Be around your friends
This is somethin
g I highly encourage you to do. Especially if you’re one of those people who sits at home all day and beats yourself up over your nonexistent love life (don’t worry I’ve been there). Get together with some friends or family and just enjoy each other’s company. Its ok to feel like crap on a very specific day of this month, or on any day for that matter. But it doesn’t mean you should just lock yourself up in your room with a tub of ice cream and mope about it. No. Get out and surround yourself with good company who will without a doubt distract your mind and make you feel more important and interesting than that one day.
Tip #6 Get in on the lovefest
Now just because you’re not a big fan of Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you have to avoid it like the plague. Instead, find ways to be involved and celebrate the day in a way that makes you comfortable and happy. For moms, this may be putting your time and energy into the Valentine’s Day party at your kids’ school. Or even helping your child find ways to make their love crush feel special. You could even help out a friend by giving them tips and advice or even helping them organize a special day/evening for their partners. I may be no love expert but something I do know is that men always want a woman’s opinion on what they find to be romantic, and fellas the same goes for the ladies.
Those are just a couple of things you can do and there are by far a lot more you can do as well. And even if you are into the whole month of February you may find some things on this list to be helpful or interesting. Either way knock yourself out without making it a much bigger deal than what it is.
This is a month of love but it’s also a month we must get through to get to the end year. My advice, don’t focus on Valentine’s Day. Don’t make this month about that day. Yes, if you like it by all means celebrate it in any way you see fit, but don’t neglect the many other days throughout the year and this month. Those days can serve as important opportunities to show your love for your partner as well.
Spring is hopefully right around the corner and that makes me very happy! Do you have any advice/tips to help you or others get through the month of February? If so I’d love to hear about it!
Kisses.
-Xo
Kimora