Some of us look forward to the yearly celebration of love and romance with anticipation and giddy. Others groan with displeasure or beat back Cupid with their textbooks. Valentine’s Day is upon us again, but what can be a day of love, joy and romance for a couple may leave singles feeling left out, discouraged or bitter. Valentine’s Day is often jokingly referred to by singles as Single’s Awareness Day, but February 14 doesn’t have to be a day of dread. Instead, it can be a day of empowerment and a celebration of people closest to you. Here’s how:

• Own it. Nothing and no one should make you feel ashamed of your single status. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic with a partner or a hopeful single, Valentine’s Day is for everyone. Yes, everyone. It’s all about spreading love, so why not share a little love with yourself? It can be as simple as buying Valentine’s Day candies and flowers for yourself and indulging in your treats while binge-watching a favorite show or watching a movie you meant to catch in theaters. Buy a few bath goodies and relax in the tub after a long day. Give yourself permission to spoil yourself, because no one will know best how to go about it than you. If you’re still feeling bummed keep in mind that there were 105 million “unmarried people in America 18 and older in 2013. This group made up 44 percent of all U.S. residents 18 and older,” according to the U.S Census Bureau.

• Share the love. Valentine’s Day is all about spreading the love, so make valentine cards or thoughtful goodies for close friends, family or even co-workers. Have a lunch date with a good friend and catch up. Have a get-together with a group and play secret valentine. Share a kind gesture with a stranger by providing a homeless individual with a meal or by sharing a positive message and a hershey’s kiss with the hardworking barista behind the counter. Kindness spreads, so start an epidemic. The point is to make someone else feel loved through a kind gesture and the time you spend with them.

• Fall in love with a new hobby. Don’t be afraid to try something new. “Be spontaneous and take advantage of the fact that you don’t have anything keeping you in town this weekend,” suggested Tiffanie Brunson, the social media coordinator for Relevant Magazine. So go take that class you’ve been thinking about taking. Go do that thing you’ve been telling yourself you’d get to when you had the time. Give a new sport a try. Get in on that club you’ve been too shy to try out. Trying something new is a great way to further empower yourself.

“You were told that your soulmate is supposed to be your best friend”, said Huffington Post. “But really, the best thing about being single is realizing how to be your own best friend — loving yourself, being happy hanging out with yourself, learning about yourself. At the end of the day, the only person you’re guaranteed to spend every single day of your life with is yourself.”