Notifications: Muted
You're sad for nothing, lmaoo!.
New Here: Start from Day 1 ⏬
Today, everyone's wearing their character development like a new outfit.
The girl who got her heart stomped last March is posting about self-love and boundaries, and maybe she means it, maybe she's still crying in the shower, maybe it's both. The guy who swore off relationships is suddenly soft-launching someone in his stories. Your friend who was "focusing on herself" is now very much focused on him.
And then there's you.
Maybe you're the heartbroken one refreshing your phone like it owes you an apology. Or the chronic single who wants it so badly you've memorized every dating app algorithm. Or the one who genuinely doesn't give a damn, until 11 PM hits and you're wondering if not giving a damn is just another type of armor.
Here's what nobody's actually saying: Valentine's Day isn't sad because you're single. It's sad because it's the one day everyone has to pretend they know what love is.
The coupled people performing rom-com when last week they were silent-treatment over dish soap.
The single people performing either complete healing or complete indifference.
Everyone's auditioning for a role they didn't ask for, and the director is a greeting card company.
So what if you just... didn't audition?
What if February 14th is actually permission to stop lying?
To the person posting self-love affirmations while texting someone who isn't texting back
To the person saying they don't care who cares the most.
To you, yes, you reading this, whoever you are today, whatever you're feeling that doesn't fit the narrative you think you're supposed to perform.
The heartbroken one scrolling through old messages at 2 AM? You're not pathetic. You're just human with a memory.
The chronic single downloading their fourth dating app this month? You're not desperate. You're just someone who knows what they want and refuses to pretend otherwise. You no dey tire😏
The genuinely indifferent one ordering takeout alone and meaning it? You're not missing out. You're just on your own time.
And the people who are genuinely happy today? Let them have it. Their joy isn't taking anything from you.
Because here's the plot twist nobody prepared you for: love isn't a performance you rehearse for. It's what happens when you stop performing altogether.
It's the thing that shows up when you're elbow-deep in a project you forgot anyone else existed. When you've stopped narrating your life like it's content. When your world got so full of your own mess, your own plans, your own ridiculous 3 AM laughter at nothing, that you forgot you were supposed to be incomplete without it.
And when it does show up? You'll know. Because it won't feel like a caption. It won't feel like proof. It'll feel like the moment you stop holding your breath.
But maybe it doesn't show up at all. Maybe you stay single for three more years. Maybe you stay heartbroken for six more months. Maybe you stay indifferent forever.
Maybe that's fine too.
Because the real question isn't "when will I find love?"
It's "when will I stop living like I'm in a waiting room?"
The answer isn't poetic. It's what you're doing in the next three hours.
So I'm asking: what are you actually up to today?
Did you sign up for that Access marathon to clear your head, make new friends or pure networking?
Are you finally starting that project you've been talking about for three months?
Are you trying that new restaurant you bookmarked alone?
Are you staying in bed till 2 PM and calling it rest without the performance?
What's the thing you're doing today that has nothing to do with proving anything to anyone?
Whatever it is, I hope it's yours.😌❤️
My Substack recommendations todayy: JustinUg Tamilore Adeyinka Adeyeye Bukola Shalom Cre8withzoe Diary of a girl looking JART Salvin Sawyerr Oluwabukunmi Sowunmi
Thank you!