How to avoid the cliche' red roses and dinner this Valentines Day...

Happy Valentine’s Day for Thursday – yawn. I’m not a fan of the commercialised celebration of love so I’m turning the page now. Oh, whoops, I’m the relationships therapist so I’ll write this first!

Before I start, a shout out in Beyonce’ style to all the single ladies, all the single ladies, all the single ladies…. Put your hands up. You too fellas. Please don’t wait for someone else to make you feel special this Valentine’s Day. Make yourself feel fabulous and enjoy Thursday with self-indulgence. Buy yourself a treat, wear something remarkable, express your personal style and do whatever makes you happy to celebrate you.

This is also a great reminder for all cosy couples to ensure you’re not relying on your partner to “complete you” and your insecurities with fancy displays of love. I’m a total sucker for flowers and any form romance any day of the week however a healthy contribution to the relationship is founded on a healthy sense of self first. Only then can you enjoy a flourishing and dynamic relationship featuring someone wonderfully matched to the best version of you!

If you’re over the cliché dinner and flowers concept for Valentine’s Day but you’re totally into the notion to profess your love to someone who rocks your world, enjoy my novel ideas to help make it different and memorable:
Brave dining: I’m talking intestines, devilled duck heart, brains and lamb’s heart skewers with chargrilled capsicum. I’m not sure where you’ll find such cuisine here on the coast so this might be a home cooked festival. Wash it all down with some oyster shots and you’ll enjoy the benefit of aphrodisiacs and be packed full of organ meat nutrients, including vitamin B12, folate, iron and protein.
Indoor garden: Who doesn’t like flowers and plants to enhance your love pad? Who allows time to manicure the perfect garden? Not me. Create your own miniature indoor garden. You can choose your design from a Japanese Zen garden to a prickly Cactus display. It is compact, super easy to maintain and it will be your very own love garden. You bring home all the bits, then both dig around in the pot and make it together to admire for years to come.
Classic theme: I’m thinking to ditch the idea of catching up on Married at First Sight this week and watch a classic old movie with my beloved. We could munch on a bowl of classic salty popcorn with a soft drink with all the sugar in it. This can be followed up by a classic magnum (minus all the new-age boysenberry flavours - just plain chocolate and vanilla). How about the Notebook, Breathless, Gone with the Wind, It Happened One Night or Pretty Woman?
A Treasure Hunt: This requires a bit of work but who knows what the investment of time will bring! You hide clues and they can lead to either gifts, treats or special places of meaning to both of you. Maybe it’s where you had a first kiss, first declaration of love, first meal or a picture representing it. 
Hike: Got Thursday off? Conquer the Glasshouse Mountains, Mt Pomona or Mt Coolum together. There are so many more other trails you could explore even before you head to work or for an afterward wind-down.
Love Coupons: This is where you commit to performing self-sacrificing acts for your beloved you might not necessarily enjoy. You write, “This coupon entitles the holder to ……one foot rub, one evening in without….., a meal cooked for you…….night out with the lads…. Queen of the remote control……breakfast in bed…. vacuum your car. These little things mean so much. They’re redeemable for any time over the next year or you can add fine print and a shorter expiry date for those you’re hoping to get out of. 
Surprise the singles: Send your single buddies a nice card or simply text them to let them know what a top bloke or chic they are and why.
Give blood together: It’s a sobering thought to imagine how many cannot celebrate Valentine’s Day as they’re fighting for their lives. No-one has been untouched by cancer in some shape or form so why not donate some of your healthy platelets to those fighting the battle or a patient who may need it for surgery. Importantly, you’re spreading the love beyond your relationship and there are limitless ideas for those.

Now I’m turning the page!

​Joanne Wilson is the weekly columnist for the Sunshine Coast Daily Weekend magazine, weekly radio guest, professional relationship counsellor and certified clinical neuropsychotherapy practitioner of TheConfidante Counselling. She is based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland - Australia. You can contact her at: www.theconfidantecounselling.com or email HERE.

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