International Quirkyalone Day!

Uncompromising romantic singletons of the world celebrate! February 14 isn't just for the coupled-up anymore. Today - aside from being Valentine's Day - is also International Quirkyalone Day.





Being quirkyalone is not so much about one's actual relationship status but rather a state of mind. Even coupled-up people can be Quirkyalones, too. But regardless of whether a quirkyalone is single or in a relationship, being a quirkyalone is all about valuing oneself and celebrating all the kinds of love there is. It's also a movement that has caught fire as more and more people read the original essay and see themselves in it.

Quirkyalones may be single and perhaps dateless, but neither of those things can take away from what a great life they're living. They're holding out for the Real Thing, but they're not brooding or obsessing about if or when the Real Thing will come along. They're living fully in the moment and not In The Meantime. They appreciate themselves and by doing so are able to appreciate others all the more. (This part of being a quirkyalone is something I am still working on.)

Are you a quirkyalone single? You can read the original essay by Sasha Cagen and my thoughts about being a single Quirkyalone in my New Year post. Better yet, you can take this quiz to see how high you score in quirkyalone-ness.

If you answered a resounding yes to the above, here are a few suggestions on how you can celebrate International Quirkyalone Day:

Indulge yourself. One of the best things about being single is not having to justify ourselves to any one person. All of us have a guilty pleasure that we try not to get too much of. For some people it's shopping. For others, it may be lazing around in bed all day. For some, it may be as simple as polishing off a box of chocolates! Whatever it is, give yourself the green light to gorge on whatever it is that makes you feel great - and not feel guilty about it afterwards.

Pamper yourself. Date or no date, book an appointment at a salon and get treat yourself to the works. Soak in a decadent bubble bath with a glass of champagne. Drop by a spa and get a full-body massage or body scrub. You deserve to look and feel fabulous - for you and not for anybody else!

Escape. Turn your back on the city and give yourself some recharge time. Meet up with your other quirkyalone friends and spend a few days at the beach. Enjoy the solitude and silence of the mountains. It's your get-away - grab it tight with both hands and run away with it! Anywhere you want to go, anything you want to do... freedom is one of the best perks of being single.

A few of my quirkyfriends and I are going to go for option number three later today. We're driving away from the chaos of Valentine's Day traffic in the city and going to the beach for the next few days to indulge in some sun, sea, and sky - and a healing dose of quirkytogether friendship. Because while we quirkyalones value our solitude, we also consider friendship to be just as important.

Whatever you choose to do today to celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful time. After all, International Quirkyalone day encourages quirkyalones to create a great day for themselves, whatever it means to them, without necessarily having to conform to what society expects the celebration to look like.

Happy Quirkyalone Day!

This photo of Bagasbas Beach, Camarines Norte (our destination) was taken by lanclav.