Hearts are blooming in flower shops and stationery stores, supermarkets are dripping in chocolates and restaurants are filling with tables for two.

If the calendar hasn’t already alerted you, walking down the street will: it’s Valentine’s Day again and if you’re single, chances are you’re getting that sinking feeling.

But it needn’t be a depressing event. Here’s how to make the most of the day as a singleton – and how to boost your chances of being coupled up next time it comes around.

1. GO OUT

All those amazing activities that would make great dates? Date yourself and do them alone – or recruit a friend. Museums, galleries, concerts, outdoor cinemas, hikes, kayaking, cycle rides or simply enjoying a great brunch spot are all perfect solo outings or mate dates. And the more you’re enjoying your free time, exploring and challenging yourself, the more appealing you’ll be to others, both as a friend and as a romantic partner

2. STAY IN

Eating out alone on Valentine’s Day is certainly an ordeal best avoided. But tonight’s not about sacking out on the sofa sobbing into a glass of cheap chardonnay, either – make it a truly indulgent evening. By stocking up on delicious morsels from a deli (Parma ham, perfectly ripe melon and some olives is heaven on a plate), a beautiful drop of wine and a movie or book you’re excited about sinking into, you can create a night in to remember.

3. MAKE SOMETHING

A boyfriend of mine once spent V Day in LA interviewing Uma Thurman. (Yes, really; he’s a movie critic. And yes, I wasn’t impressed.) But my housemate and I decided the way to rescue the day I was dreading was to dig out a sinfully rich Nigella recipe and make brownies. We were right. Creating something – baked goods, a painting, a poem, a new arrangement of the art on your walls or just an unholy mess in your kitchen or on your sketch pad – is a powerful antidote to the blues. And really, can you ever go wrong with brownies?

4. DO SOMETHING

Fed up of being single? Well, you can change that. Let your friends know you’re actively looking for a date, start singing in that choir or learning to rock climb or join that bushwalking club and make today the day you sign up to an introduction agency like Vital Partners.

For a free consultation on how we can change your love journey call us (02) 9017 8444.

Why not increase your chance of greeting next Valentine’s Day as part of a loving couple?