Hey, friends! How's it going? I am currently "snowed in" at my house. Okay, there's really not a LOT of snow, but the road has been covered all week and I've been content to stay tucked into my cozy space for the time being. And rumor has it there's more snow on the way! :D So, Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Again. And, yep, I am celebrating (or not celebrating) it as a single. Again. So I thought I'd send a shout out to to all my single friends. (If you're not single, you can still read on.) Hello! You're not alone! We're all in this together! (Cue awkward High School Musical dance moves...no? Okay, moving on...) Seriously, this holiday has been my least favorite for a good while now. And I was secretly glad it fell on a Sunday this year so I didn't have to watch or hear all my co-workers gush about the day and gifts and dates and whatnot. I've had some really low moments in February, wondering why I was still facing it alone. But you want to know something? This year, it's not so bad. I mean, sure, I would still love to be celebrating with someone else. I'd love to get on here and tell you all about my first Valentine's Day date. But I'm really okay with facing it solo this year. (For the most part, that is. lol) Why is this year any different? Well, it could be that I've had so many that I'm getting used to it? I also attribute my attitude to God's grace and contentment growing within me. But I think there's another reason. Want to know what it is? OK, I'll tell you! I have a focus. (Hey, looky there! There's my word for 2021! Not sure what I'm talking about? See my previous post.) Let me explain. Last year was rough. Really rough for a lot of people. It put a lot of strain on people's emotions and mental states, myself not excluded. I think it was particularly hard for single people. A lot of us were stuck in our homes by ourselves. I was a bit more fortunate because I'm sharing a house with my sister, but not everyone was so fortunate. Many singles didn't have kids to distract them through the months of shutdown and/or quarantine. And the real kicker for me was that no one really thought to check on the singles to see how we were doing. At least, not around here. But I didn't say all that to complain about the system. I'm getting somewhere, really. Because of how crazy things were, I spent a lot of time at home. And usually, that would have caused a lot of discouragement, loneliness, and depression. But I used that free time I had to throw myself back into my writing. I found a writing community on Instagram. Attended some virtual conferences. Started working on my book again. And you know what? It helped! I was not as stir-crazy or bored as I would've expected. Sure I had moments, but for the most part, I kept myself busy. I had a FOCUS. Not only did it keep me busy, but it gave me hope. Hope that I would not always be in this place I'm in now. Hope that something, someday, would change and for the better. In this case, I would see my dream of being published (again) fulfilled. It gave me a purpose. Single friends, let me make this suggestion. Find a focus outside of your singleness. What do you enjoy? Woodwork? Learn to make something new. Crafts? Create something beautiful to share with others. Animals? Volunteer at a shelter. Knitting? Knit a sweater for everyone in your neighborhood. It doesn't have to be much. Just something you love. Something positive to focus on. And concerning Valentine's Day, please, please do not stay home alone (unless you really want to!) and let the loneliness take over. Find something fun to do. Celebrate YOU. Go to a movie. Treat yourself to a nice dinner. Invite some friends over. Go shopping. What am I doing, you ask? I'm treating my sisters to pizza and a movie night. Nothing fancy, just sweet fellowship and a fun evening at home. What are you going to do for yourself for Valentines Day? Or, if you're one of my married friends, how are you celebrating with your other half? Tell me in the comments! Stay well, my friends! In His Grip, Crystal Hey, friends! I just reached 300 followers on my Instagram page! I would love to see you there. Just give me a follow to keep up with all of my reading, writing, and life updates.
And did I mention I have TWO giveaways happening there?? You can find me at crystalgrantfaithandfiction. Hope to see you there!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
December 2022
Categories |