Why does ‘The Month of Love’ make me feel so weird?

You might be married or in a long-term relationship. Or you could be single and loving it, or single and hating it just a bit.

No matter what, your #BraveTribe of #sisters are here for you as you navigate this sometimes-tricky Valentine’s month. On that: we delve into why V-Day (and month!) can be so, well, odd, at times. And why it evokes so many feelings (good and bad).

1. It’s triggering.
Valentine’s may evoke feelings of unworthiness or loneliness merely because of past loves that haven’t worked out, or Valentine’s Days that went awry.

2. It ignores the many facets of love.
Let’s be real, if it weren’t for the ever-beautiful, wonderful, Galentine’s Day, this whole month would be solely focused on eros, romantic love. This can be upsetting if you’re not coupled up and feeling all the feels about it, or when you feel like you’ve got so many other loves, like friends and family, to celebrate.

3. It can be expensive.
A commercial holiday like Valentine’s can make couples and singles alike feel pressured to spend money unnecessarily which is particularly difficult when we’ve finally left the third month of January behind us.

4. It can hurt your mental health.
Valentine’s can make things such as rejection sensitivity even worse, and this can exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety around actual Valentine’s Day, and even the love-focused month itself.

5. It can feel like a lot of pressure.
This month is also seen as a kind of barometer for love, and many people may feel like they’re not good enough for the love they receive, feel depressed if they are not currently coupled up or are disappointed with their own partner’s lack of reciprocity around the day.

6. Your healthy relationship may be in a difficult phase.
If your child is under two-years-old, or you’re studying really hard, or even living with in-laws, it can make marriage/partnering tough and deprioritise being “lovey-dovey”. Should you go all out and it feel fake, or accept the place you're in and feel a little meh about the day?

It’s difficult. But, you’re not alone in your feelings of weirdness… same sis, same!