The Modern Modification Lifestyle: The Anti-Valentine

Valentine’s Day is coming on fast, and everyone’s getting ready for that ooey gooey love rush. But what about people who are unattached? Or those who had a partner and recently decided to go their separate ways? There’s definitely a stigma attached to being single on V Day, and the tendency is to call anyone who isn’t “in the spirit” bitter. There’s a lot more to being anti-Valentine’s though.

The modified generation is full of trendsetters who abstain for a variety of reasons, some of which are actually heart-felt and complex. And going against the lovey dovey grain isn’t just for folks who are single; plenty of couples have stopped celebrating too. Motivations include not supporting certain industries, avoidance of setting unrealistic expectations within a relationship, not perpetuating gender stereotypes, reclaiming the original significance of the holiday (which had nothing to do with roses and chocolate), and many more.

So the question remains: how do you get away with not hopping on the red and pink bandwagon without being wrongfully labeled a spinster or a cynic? Well, there’s a few things you can do that will actually help your case regardless of whether friends or family align with your point of view.

First, you can schedule your next appointment for a tattoo or spa service day of. If Valentine’s Day is really about love, then consider this loving yourself the right way by doing something that makes you feel good about yourself. Who could disagree with that, right? Next, if you don’t need a new tattoo or can’t book the day, you can volunteer somewhere on Valentine’s Day. Choose something close to your heart like the ASPCA, or a women and children’s shelter, and think of it as showing some love for your fellow man (or fur ball). Lastly, you can throw a party and invite any single or like-minded friends over for some hang time. Turn the focus into celebrating the genuine non-romantic connections you have with eachother, and pretty soon everyone will forget about cupid and fixate on what really matters.

If you really do want to let everybody know that you’re down on love though, (and there’s nothing wrong with that), just let your accessories do the talking.