Stress free Valentine’s Day tips. As a Marriage Counselor, I’ve noticed some married couples tend to downplay Valentine’s Day. It could be because they’ve been married for so long they may unknowingly be taking each other for granted. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons they are receiving counseling. When talking to the men in my practice they say Valentine’s Day is a very stressful Holiday for them. Plans they have made or gifts they have given in the past were unappreciated or criticized and sometimes they feel they can never get it right. Women say their partners don’t care for all that “lovey dovey” stuff and just want sex. Seems we’ve lost the sentiment of what Valentine’s Day is all about being so commercialized taking away the simplicity of what it is intended to represent. If you’re in a neurodiverse marriage, Valentine’s Day and other holidays are big stressors for the person on the Autism Spectrum. Discuss expectations and be explicit rather than implicit about plans.
Stress Free Valentine’s Day Tips
It’s a celebration of Love. Love shouldn’t stress you out. If it does take a moment to slow down, be mindful (stay in the moment), and refocus. Turn the day into an opportunity to look at your relationships in a new way. Valentine’s Day is a reminder to show appreciation for the people we care most about. And it can be a day to do something special for yourself too.
- Give something thoughtful, personalized, and meaningful to someone you care about. A hand written note with a list of things you appreciate and are thankful for about those loved ones. It shows you are paying attention and care.
- You can’t go wrong with candy.
- Flowers given the day before or after, as pricing is reasonable.
- If you want to do the dinner thing, the day before or day after always makes for a stress-free evening as there are fewer crowds and the pricing is reasonable.
- Most importantly talk about Valentine’s Day expectations.
