If you have recently gone through a separation, you might be dreading the upcoming annual “celebration of love” Valentine’s Day.
If you are anything like me and you are reading this article, your mind is probably already turning to the scene from Bridget Jones’s Diary where she is in her onesie pyjamas, by herself, drinking wine and eating chocolate and screaming the lyrics to Celine Dion’s classic, “All By Myself”. Or you might be thinking about other movies that you have seen with exaggerated scenes of couples swooning in public on Valentine’s Day that make everyone feel uncomfortable.
My advice to you is to take charge and own this Valentine’s Day and plan ahead and adopt these few simple tips so that you might find yourself looking forward to Valentine’s Day, rather than dreading it:
- Don’t spend the day or night alone. I can almost guarantee that there are other loved ones and significant people in your life who would love to spend this time with you. Get in touch with them now and lock them in for a celebration of your own.
- Now that you know who you are going to be spending Valentine’s Day with, plan something to do, that you will look forward to. This might be as simple as going to see a movie, having a movie marathon or games night at home, going to your favourite restaurant or that new place that you have been wanting to try.
- Treat yourself. After separation, a lot of people forget to do things for themselves, including appreciate themselves. Reflect on something that you can give to yourself that will make you feel good. It might be indulging in some food that you would not always eat, or it might be buying something that you have wanted for quite some time now. Treating yourself doesn’t have to be expensive, it just needs to be rewarding to you.
- Treat others. As you have made the solid decision not to spend Valentine’s Day alone, why not treat the people who you are sharing it with? As Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday this year, it may be as simple as baking or treating your colleagues to morning tea at work, writing a small thank you and appreciation card to those people who have been there and supported you during what has probably been one of the worst emotional times in your life. You may also decide to write Valentine’s letters and place chocolates in your children’s lunch boxes. There are many different ideas.
At Miller Harris Lawyers we care about all of our clients. We understand that separation is emotional, stressful and complicated. We are passionate about getting to know you, understanding your family and priorities and assisting you to reach an agreement so you can move forward.
If you require assistance through your separation, please contact one of our Cairns family lawyers to discuss your situation.