Dreading Valentine's Day? - 5 Love Yourself Tips

Valentine's Day. You either love it or you hate it. Why is that? Some people are enchanted with the idea of being showered with love, affection, and gifts. Others are nauseated at the dramatic displays of ardor. "Couldn't she have received those flowers at home?" And others are trying to disappear into their cubicles dreaming of a day when their office crush will finally notice them and send them bouquets of flowers and cards of adoration.

Instead of waiting for your partner, spouse, children or best friend to shower you with love and adulation here are five tips to show yourself love on this sweetheart of a day.

1. Be Creative. Get out your crayons, markers and stickers and make yourself a valentine. Write in it all things that you love about yourself and that make you a special person. Yes, you are special. Remember the time you shoveled the snow for your elderly neighbor, let someone ahead of you in the grocery store line because they only had two items and you had 20 or when put change in someone's expired meter? Bonus points if you mail your valentine to yourself!

2. Try out that new recipe! Didn't you just pin a yummy new recipe on Pintrest last week? You know that many restaurants will be full of couples going out to eat tonight. Spend a night in your much ignored kitchen. Don't worry, if it doesn't turn out, you can always order in pizza. Some pizza's can even be delivered to you in the shape of a heart!

3. Home Spa. Remember when you first saw the tub in your home or apartment and thought "I can't wait to use that for a bubble bath" but then have never taken the time? Get out the bubble bath, candles or even your foot bath and play some upbeat tunes. No pity parties allowed though, so don't put in any Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, etc. Try some Natasha Bedingfield "Unwritten," Shania Twain "C'est La Vie" or even Bruno Mars "The Lazy Song".

4. Karaoke. Spend an hour going through your itunes list and singing along to your favorite songs. When's the last time you listened to Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy"? Or how about Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" or Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"? Turn up the tunes and sing your heart out!

5. Volunteer. Sometimes the best way we can love ourselves is to help a stranger. It provides us with some perspective and appreciation for the life we have created for ourselves. Could your local food pantry use some assistance stocking shelves? Keep in mind some organizations need advance notice to accommodate volunteers or complete backgrounds. Check out online searches like VolunteerMatch.org or your local United Way for other ideas.

As William Ernest Henley wrote in his poem Invictus "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."

How will you steer yourself this Valentine's Day and provide love of self instead of pining for love from others?