Single & Surviving Valentine's Day

Okay, it's that time of year again. If you're single, it's the day you're probably not looking forward to - Valentine's Day. If you're strong enough not to give a damn, good for you! Unfortunately, the commercialization and popularity of Valentine's Day make it hard to ignore. So instead of suffering in silence, embrace the holiday as a day to remind yourself how much you love you!

Here are some ways you could prevent yourself from feeling pathetic and sinking into self-pity. Firstly, do NOT hang out with your friends who are in relationships. Unless they're visibly miserable, they'll make it harder to remind yourself why being single is great. And they probably would want to be alone with their man, anyway.

Valentine's Day is a great time to have a girls' night out. Grab your friends, dress in your sexiest (not sluttiest) outfit, go to a nightclub, flirt with some cute guys and enjoy yourself. You'd be too distracted to care about not snuggling up with "your soul mate".

Are all your girlfriends romantically attached? Don't worry about it. That's the perfect excuse to spend time pampering yourself. If you can afford it, spend the day at a spa; get a facial, a deep tissue massage, a pedicure or whatever would relax you and make you feel beautiful!

In these tough times, the spa might be out of reach for many people, so create your own pampering zone at home. Have a warm bubble bath, lather on a mud mask and give yourself a manicure. End your day with a glass of wine, a box of chocolates and a comedy (no romantic comedies, please) or, even better, horror movie that would scare away all the romantic notions floating in your head.

Being single on the most romantic day of the year can be tough, but remind yourself why being single is great:

If all else fails, repeat this mantra to yourself: "I love me!"