Oh, Valentine’s Day. Some love it, some hate it, and some are indifferent. No matter what category you fall into, it is inevitable that Valentine’s Day will happen every year on the 14th day of February, and that’s a fact. Even though you might be feeling sad or lonely right now, this is not something that you will inevitably experience every February 14th for the rest of your life; not at all. By next year, you might be coupled-up and cuddling up with your sweetie, (and you can make that happen – keep reading) but for now, let’s focus on the present moment so that you can do everything in your power to enjoy the day (and night!). Make a declaration that you are going to shift your outlook on your dating status, embrace where you are, and then do everything in your power to start today to manifest all that you desire.

Now let’s get started! By understanding the following five concepts, you will be able to make that shift that could potentially change your life.

1. Use happy couples as inspiration

Happy couples can actually be beneficial, and not detrimental around Valentine’s Day and always. As a human being with an ego, it is natural to compare yourself and to feel envious and jealous, however, you have a choice; you can either look at happy couples as having something that you don’t have and resent them, or you can look at them as an inspiration. When we feel inspired, we create things. We need inspiration in order to create. If all of a sudden you get the inspiration to create a business or a product, there must’ve been something that happened or something that you saw that sparked that inspiration inside of you. When you want to create a joyful, peaceful and loved-filled relationship, it is no different than creating anything else; you need that inspiration, that drive, that fuel and fire inside to get you to where you want to go. Think about it, if there were no happy couples on this earth, how would you know what a happy couple was.

Make that choice to reside in gratitude that happy couples exist, and be thankful that because of them as a model, you have a goal that you want to achieve, a life that you want to create and a peace and joy in your heart that you want to feel and know.

2. Set the intention

Set an intention that you will have a date for Valentine’s Day next year. By all means, make a declaration that this is your last year of being single. So, this year wasn’t your year; not to fret! It’s all in your power. If you walk around feeling bad for yourself and you feel like you’re never going to have a Valentine’s Date, then perhaps you won’t (it’s the law of attraction), but if you set an intention, a clear intention that you will have a date next year, then you, my friend can make that happen, but you have to believe. Just trust in the timing of your life and know that you are way more powerful in your ability to manifest than you realize.

3. Go out with your friends… You never know who you might meet!

This Valentine’s Day happens to be on a Friday. There is no reason why you should be staying home with a tub of ice cream, and if you are feeling like you are the only single person left in the world, think again. The single friends you went out with last weekend are still single and all of those singles who were at your favorite restaurant, bar or night club are also still single. So, make plans with your friends to head out. Valentine’s Day can actually work in your favor because on that night everyone is a little more vulnerable and willing and open to finding love.

4. You have the power to choose

You are an independent, empowered, amazing specimen of a human! You have a rockin’ personality and you are fun to be around. Instead of feeling like no one has picked you yet, shift that into the reality that you haven’t found anyone who matches your level of awesomeness yet. Out of nowhere the other day I started laughing to myself as I recalled a phrase that my auntie Lorraine said to me when I was completely boy crazy in high school as I was riding that “fun” rollercoaster of emotions and navigating my way through dating and all of the guys I had crushes on. To quote Auntie Lorraine, “Jaime, it will be your job to always pick, choose and refuse!” I kept that with me as I went along my dating journey, and I am now handing you this little magical nugget of advice.

Try not to be in a rush to couple-up because you are going to spend the rest of your life as a couple, so while you are single, try your best to live it up and work on getting to know yourself better. When YOU know your worth, the world will know your worth also. This is the time to own who you are and remember that you can choose your future love; it should absolutely be up to you. You don’t have to wait to be chosen.

5. Just start talking

I don’t care if you go to a therapist, a coach or your best friend, but you need to talk to someone. Get all of those negative and chaotic thoughts out of your head in order for you to shift that energy from negative to positive; in order to raise your vibration. I promise, when you start talking and hear yourself talk, just know that whomever is listening is not judging and is doing their best to understand you. You will feel supported and loved. You will begin to feel lighter, and your perspective on your life will shift; you will gain the clarity that you long for. I know that taking that first step into breaking through to vulnerability is not easy but believe me that by sharing your inner world with someone you trust, you will receive benefits beyond what you can imagine. People need people; they help us heal. According to Barbara Streisand, “People who need people, are the luckiest people in the world.”

So, as you gear up for this “day of love” that is coming up, do your best to see the light that is ahead. Get clear on where you’re going, and how you’d like your life to change. Set an intention that you want to feel and know the beauty and abundance of love and happiness that awaits you.

Honor yourself for your willingness to shift your perspective in order to experience love. This shift will enable you to live the life you want and have the peace of mind and heart that you desire. I honor you for reading this article because it means that you are ready for real love. You are ready to step into your destiny. You are ready for the rest of your life, and believe me, there’s a beautiful life ahead filled with everything you have ever dreamed of.

Take these concepts into consideration and your view of Valentine’s Day will be shifted for good. Most importantly, this Friday night, just have fun no matter what you decide to do, where you decide to go and who you decide to celebrate with. ALWAYS keep in mind for Valentine’s Day and every day, you never know who you might meet and when or how it is going to happen, but it only takes that right moment with the right person for your whole life to change.

Jaime Bronstein is a relationship coach, radio show host of “Love Talk Live” on LA Talk Radio, blogger, author, wife and mommy. She has been a practicing therapist for 18 years. Jaime has a master’s degree in social work from New York University, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston University and a certificate in spiritual psychology from The University of Santa Monica. Jaime focuses on teaching her clients how to unconditionally love themselves, how to be vulnerable, tap into their inner strength, and live more authentically in order to achieve their relationship goals. Jaime will not only help you heal and extinguish any negative relationship habits, but she will also provide you with the tools needed in order to have a successful relationship. Find her online at www.therelationshipexpert.com and catch her on-camera radio show. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Image courtesy of Everton Vila.