Around this time of year, I get a lot of e-mails from people who are disheartened by the overwhelming sea of hearts and pressure of romance. February is a month where we are pressured to be in a “perfect” romantic relationship. We start to judge and evaluate the relationships we’re in, and we start to berate ourselves for not being in one. We think about past relationships or wonder why there haven’t been any past relationships. It’s this whole recipe for disaster, cultivated by social norms, pressure, and guilt.

I wanted to come up with a list of ways you could say hell yes being single is awesome and here’s why! But it was actually harder than I thought, and for a surprising reason. As I was writing, my natural inclination was to write things like eat whatever you want, go out whenever you want, and relish in the fact that you don’t have to check in with anyone! But that’s such ridiculously learned behavior. The reality is we should be as free in a relationship as we are as a single person. Obviously there are logistical limitations that come when involving a second person to anything, but if you’re having to compromise what you’re eating, watching, wearing, and exploring then you might not actually be in a great relationship.

So this list is a cross between celebrating being single and general self-love. Because, quite honestly, the two go hand-in-hand. Remember that loving yourself is number one. That exists before and above all else. Whether you have a partner(s) or not. Whether it’s February or not. Self-love will keep you strong.

50 Ways To Celebrate Being Single

1. Sleep in the middle of the bed like a starfish
2. Say yes to something a past partner was hesitant to try
3. Go dancing (feel free to have some drinks first)
4. Take advantage of the networking tool at your disposal, and the ability to meet loads of people
5. Make a list of ways you have personal freedoms
6. Buy a new sex toy, like a tail butt plug, and treat yourself
7. Stay out all night and check in with no one
8. Take yourself on dates
9. Get one of these crazy pillows
10. Throw your gorgeous self into some already established single scenes
11. Buy yourself some flowers (bonus points if you have them delivered to you)
12. Check out all the badass celebrities who are currently single
13. Have a fancy dinner for your friends on your grandmother’s china
14. Flirt with everyone
15. Have a Parks And Rec Style Day full of a Galentine’s Gift Exchange and #TreatYoSelf Vibe
16. Host a party with a bunch of single people
17. Do something new and fun with your hair, make-up, or wardrobe
18. Tell yourself you’re beautiful (put it on your phone background)
19. Go speed dating (if only to test out your accents)
20. Hire a photographer for a self-esteem boosting photoshoot
21. Dedicate an entire date off work to masturbating
22. Take a spontaneous road trip alone
23. Make a bunch of dating profiles and have safe no-strings-attached sex
24. Make fun of absurd Tinder profiles (and send me screenshots of the really ridiculous ones)
25. Explore a fetish you were scared to try

26. Sleep in as long as you want
27. Try not having sex for a specific period of time and see how your body feels as a personal experiment
28. Take a burlesque class
29. Remember that you only ever have to answer to yourself
30. Experiment with growing out or removing various areas of body hair
31. Play dress up every day
32. Adjust the thermostat to exactly what you want
33. Try a new art form you’ve been hesitant to test out
34. Watch all the shitty Netflix shows you want without compromise
35. Ignore your phone completely
36. Get yourself a baller ass ring and wear it on your left ring finger — marry yourself
37. Take a pole dancing class
38. Splurge on pedicures, manicures, facials, etc. spa treatments
39. Eat the foods you shyed away from because your ex wasn’t a fan
40. Compliment everyone and anyone you are inclined to, even if it’s just “You’re cute!”
41. Relish in not having to deal with in-laws
42. Practice commitment with different areas of your life and see what feels right
43. Have more time to work on your personal-development
44. Don’t have to wait for anyone to buy you anything
45. Know it’s better to be with yourself than to be with the wrong person
46. Eat tons of foods that give you bad breath
47. Decorate your living space to your heart’s aesthetic, without compromise
48. You don’t have to save the last slice of pie or hot water for the next shower
49. You don’t have to be self-conscious of your snoring
50. Everything is up to you

100 Ways To Celebrate Life

Photos: Maura Housley