Here it comes again, the season of hearts and flowers and love, a difficult reminder for anyone who has lost a spouse or partner. If this time of year brings you low, here are some things you can do to avoid all that Valentine’s Day lovey dovey sentimentality:
Ignore it. Change the channel, turn off the radio, put down anything related to Valentines Day
Stay away from restaurants before the day, during and after to avoid Valentine themed menus, decorations and smoochy couples
Take extra good care of yourself. Book a spa appointment, buy your favourite food and bring it home to enjoy (perhaps with a glass of wine?)
Stay busy. This is a great time to start or continue a project you may have been working on or thinking about.
If you don’t already have Netflix or Crave, why not subscribe and binge watch whatever strikes your fancy or find a riveting book to read and get absorbed in an interesting plot.
Have a home event with other widows/widowers or singles you may know.
Focus on the future, not the past. Remember we are building a new life, not for the person we were in the past, but for the person we hope to be in the future.
Do you have a way of dealing with special days of the year that bring up sad feelings? Let us know in the comments section and we’ll post your thoughts and suggestions.