1. Send notes, letters, emails or cards to all of your friends and family that you love and adore, wishing them a Happy Valentine's Day and sharing with them what you appreciate about them. You may be very surprised by the response you get from these simple gestures of caring - remember, what goes around comes around!

2. Treat yourself to a special date, either alone or with a friend, for Valentine's Day. Go to a movie, get a pedicure, schedule a massage, dine at your favorite restaurant, take a long warm bubble bath and rent a movie, or whatever you consider a special treat.

3. If you are tired of being single, consider changing some things in your life to become more engaged in the world around you. Volunteer. Start a new sporting interest. Explore your cultural surroundings - museums, theaters, etc. Learn a new skill such as ballroom dancing lessons.

The point is that we teach others how to treat us. If you remain positive, hopeful, and interested in yourself, then others are likely to follow suit. Most people find someone when they are least expecting it; because they are content with who and where they are, and that's a beautiful thing to most people.

Michele O'Mara, LCSW