If February routinely disappoints you, you either have a bone to pick with the Groundhog or you are holding onto a narrow view of love. Yes, it’s likely still snowing/sleeting/raining and cold as (a version of) hell. True, there aren’t fun outdoor happenings and maybe a regular walking or hiking routine just flat-out surrendered to above-mentioned weather. And maybe you’re sad because you pine for the type of romantic bliss advertised everywhere for Valentine’s Day. But none of that matters when you really get it. When you really understand what February’s all about: love, of all kinds.
February love is self-love. Parental love. Romantic love. Platonic love. Community love. It’s a time to feel your feelings and feel the love. It’s a time of cold, snow, rain, and laid back beats. Cafés, books, relaxed gatherings with friends and acquaintances. Lovecore vibes. Seasonal nesting.
February is Valentine’s Day, yes, but it is also Black History Month, Imbolc, Chinese New Year, Mardi Gras, and chill vibes. It’s a laid back sort of comfort, with a quiet yet fresh focus on love. It’s creating a loving haven in your home, tending to the winter gardens, the readying before spring, the burrowing and casual going outs before fully emerging back into the outdoor world at large on a more energetic pace. Ultimately, regardless of which occasion(s) you celebrate, February is a time to simply focus on pure authentic love.
Let’s Talk About Love
When the monks walked through our city during their Walk for Peace, the love present was palpable. All of us gathered by were there for one reason, to support their journey and show solidarity for its one purpose: promoting peace. No one was there to ‘get’ anything; we were simply there to show love and embrace an alternative to what has been happening in our government and society at large. We show up for peace, and the love shared moved many to tears.
A love like that is the opposite of fearful self-centeredness and consumerism. It is the opposite of fear of ‘other,’ fear that inevitably leads to hate and oppression of all types. Let this full experience of love inspire you this February. Let it bring out your creativity. What stirs you to love others more? Most importantly, what stirs you to love yourself more (the prerequisite to loving anyone else, after all)? What helps you to relax and settle down into truly knowing that you are in fact not a mistake – that you are alright and that things will, in time, turn out alright?
February Vibes
Now that we’ve covered the more important groundwork of February love, let’s move into expression and explore some inspiring February aesthetics and activities.
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Floral Therapy
Thought it may yet be too cold outside for flowers to bloom, you can breathe fragrant flowers inside. Visit a local florist for fresh-cut flowers or, even better, potted ones you can tend. The sky may be white with snow or rainy and gray, but flowers will fill your space with beautiful colour. This is very visually relaxing, too. It’s a mental health boost for anyone at any time. And while faux foliage simply isn’t the same as living breathing plant life, a touch of floral-themed décor like a flower wall tapestry lends a pleasant aesthetic.
Colour Therapy
If you’re looking to add more colour for visual appeal, red is a fitting option for February. It ties in perfectly with Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. Whether you adorn your home with red flowers, red lanterns or red hearts (or all of the above), it’s a bold and dazzling colour that brings life to an otherwise dreary space. And for comfy lounging with candles or a fireplace, nothing warms you up quite like a rich red sherpa fleece blanket.
Café Therapy
Sleeting outside? When you get off work, stop by a local cosy café if your schedule allows. Wind down and warm up with a hot bevvy of your choice and take the time to socialize with a coworker, friend or acquaintance. Find a positive news source to learn about life-giving things happening in the world, especially if you’ve had a long day at work (a more effective ‘pick-me-up’ than a drink).
Bask in a Book
Stuck at home due to schedule/circumstances/luck? Find a cosy nook and dig into some good reading materials when you have the leisure to do so. Schedule it as a pleasant event you can anticipate enjoying after chores and other responsibilities. I strongly encourage including chocolate (you should have no trouble finding an abundance of chocolate truffles in February). I will divulge: it’s the one indulgence from which I don’t refrain, quantifiably. (And I would never hold anyone to a different standard.) Just sharing.
Share a Social Occasion
Yearning for more social opportunities? Find (or create) a local event, whether for the community at large or among a closer group of friends or coworkers. Host a fashion exchange (and simultaneously clean out/refresh your wardrobe). Start a book club and host at your home or, if possible, at a beloved café or other comfortable public space. For the occasional home-based soirée, host something fun and creative a small cocktails and colouring party or a jazz and jigsaw puzzle party.
Eating with loved ones is one of the most primal expressions of love. It’s why going out to eat at a nice restaurant is a traditional Valentine’s Day date for lovers. But to expand love beyond romance alone, what about eating with a group of dear friends? Hosting a potluck is an easy (and less expensive) way to do this. A potluck is a low-maintenance event because you really need only serve one dish; everybody else will take care of the rest. And while cleanup is far from ‘fun’ (also the main reason I prefer dining in instead of takeaway – part of the cost of a meal out is paying for somebody else to clean up!), it’s a breeze when everyone pitches in.
February Beats
Coming from someone for whom music has always been essential, a February soundtrack is a must. Music (or a soundscape/ambience) sets the backdrop for a mood. It can either motivate you or make you cranky, depending on the style and your preference. It’s important that you curate your own February playlist, but you’ll also find suggestions below to see if any resonate and inspire you to go from there. If you search for someone else’s curated ‘February’ playlist, you’ll most likely find romantic (and possibly also sappy or sad) love-themed songs for Valentine’s Day. Even if the tracks include genuinely good songs of a genre you enjoy, they’re most likely eternally overplayed hits that have now been rendered completely annoying and uninspiring. Alternatively, you may find anti-Valentine’s Day playlists with anti-love songs (these not only foster a negative outlook but also disregard the fuller picture of love).
February isn’t a time for loud power ballads. Remember, we’re still huddled in whatever warmth we can find to endure the remainder of winter. February beats are chill and rainy in a comforting way, not bright and sunny. Like hanging out with a good friend and feeling comfortable enough to not even talk much but just do your own thing. It’s feeling the depth of your feelings in a safe container where you won’t drown in them. It’s normalizing whatever feelings come along with every type of love, and saying that’s okay. You take an honest and fresh approach to your own introspection, to your conversations with others, and to how you approach the world at large. Lunar New Year is a time of renewal, after all.
February mood playlist songs
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps by Martin Luther McCoy
- Chinese Interlude by Tricky/Fifi Rong
- Pōmārie by Maisey Rika (lullaby to baby in womb)
- Only by Li Hi
- Glory Box by Portishead (moody classic)
- Beautiful by OoOo
- Try Again by Jaehyun and d.ear
- Rewind by Twice
- Cool with You by NewJeans
- Either Way by Ive (self-love and acceptance)
February ambience/music:
- Jazzy Galentine’s Tea (Chill Crossing Hour)
- Paris Café (Somewhere in France)
- Urban Oasis (Fantasy Lofi Lounge)
- Cozy Winter Flower Shop (Ethereal Ambience)
A Fresh Take on February
February is a mood. It’s not loud, it’s not wild, but it’s chill. It’s a comfortable sort of love, a warm embrace. It matters not whether you’re single, married, or anywhere in between. February love is more than romance – it’s everything and everyone near and dear. It’s life and the world at large, if we’d just focus more on what’s good in ourselves and in our loved ones and what good things are happening every day.