Galentine's Day: Love Reset and 2 Books To Help
It's about friendship and self-love
About five minutes ago, I swiped TikTok away and changed into my softest sweatpants. It’s 4:58 pm on a Monday, but to say I’m tired is an understatement. The last six weeks have felt like a constant onslaught of hard news, bad news, and uncontrollable news.
Looking at the week ahead, though, I can only think of one thing: love.
This week is riddled with mentions of partner-oriented love, but I think we should, more than ever, find ways to center self-love and platonic love in our lives.
Let’s look at the friends who have kept the light on during our hardest, darkest days or shone a spotlight on every win that was worthy of celebration, especially in the last few weeks. Let’s honor the person in the mirror who has not let you stop eating, sleeping, or hydrating because you’re worthy of care no matter how the world around you is in upheaval.
Many have said that love, joy, laughter, and care are revolutionary acts. I add that they’re also grounding, root-giving acts. You’re less flighty when your friend holds your hand and less spaced out when you stop for two minutes to say nice things to yourself in the mirror.
Galentine’s Day is beautiful pink-and-red coated dinners. It’s also a “Thank you for not letting me drown lately” text and a “Just because I love you” Barnes & Noble gift card so that you can afford your romance novel hobby that’s keeping the lights on in your brain. (No? Just me?)
So far, 2025 has taught me that my usual mental health toolkit is just enough to keep me above water. Therapy, solo dinner dates, reading — these things keep me sane. But, what takes me from sane to happy is cheaper and less complicated: gossiping with friends about celebrities we’ll never meet or smiling when I look in the mirror because if I don’t smile at her, why should I expect others to do the same?
So this week, my call to action is small and actionable: If you have a friend or community you turn to often, a loving text can go a long way.
I also know loneliness is an epidemic in our nation. So, if you don’t have a friend or community to turn to, try turning to what you do have—yourself, your hobbies, and your existing support group.
If you want to figure out how to expand your network and community, Molly Beck’s book Reach Out is a great resource. Allison Gilbert’s The Joy of Connections: 100 Ways to Beat Loneliness and Live a Happier and More Meaningful Life is also a great resource.
I also chatted with Allison a few months ago if you want to read our Q+A 👇
100 Ways To Beat Loneliness
When I first picked up iconic sex therapist Dr. Ruth’s final book, The Joy of Connections: 100 WAYS TO BEAT LONELINESS AND LIVE A HAPPIER AND MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE (co-written by my lovely friend Allison Gilbert), my first thought was…I’m not lonely. As I kept flipping the pages, their writing changed my mind.