Happy Valentine’s Day! Yep, today is the day. You can try and avoid it all you like, I know I have, but there comes a point when you have to let it go and just well, embrace it I suppose.

Why? Well, don’t get me wrong, I hate a socially constructed, commercialised day of faux-declarations of love and present giving as much as the next gal (she says whilst sobbing into a tub of discounted Hägen Dazs) BUT what I do have a lot of time for is people showing a whole lot of kindness, appreciation and love to one another, so today, I too, will be attempting to share the love.

You might have noticed that all week here at Pistachio we’ve been on a #ShareTheLove theme. This has included sharing some of the lovely things that our awesome clients have said about us as well as encouraging the team to share some of the things that they love most about working at Pistachio. And why have we been doing this I hear you cry whilst you frantically try and buy some synthetic red undies and a poorly produced rom-com? Well, because it’s nice to be nice, and if there’s anything the world needs more of right now, it’s a little bit more love…just kidding, I’m obviously going to make this sarcastic AF.

So, without further ado, today’s VDay blog will be your step-by-step guide on how to #ShareTheLove this Valentine’s Day, we hope you enjoy!

1. Show up

It’s pretty simple, just show up. If you said you’d be somewhere, or that you wanted to see or spend time with someone, then please, just show up.

We know it’s hard, especially when the pub is so close by and full of LADS, who like you, like to shout about football and almost definitely could have played semi-pro etc etc but time is short and life is fickle, so if you can make someone smile today simply by just showing up, then do it for St Valentine (who almost definitely, probably, did(not) exist)

2. Keep it positive

One of the ways in which we can all attempt to be nicer people is to be less judgemental and critical of others and certain situations. Therefore, use today to start looking on the brighter side of life and refrain from dolling out criticism or voicing your displeasure at anything.

Even if it is really unpleasant, like having to endure a colleague cooing over a 5 foot stuffed teddy bear emblazoned with a message of undying love from an insipid partner, just smile, nod and enjoy looking at the positives – namely the fact that you do not have to pretend to love someone who invests real money into life-sized stuffed animals.

There is virtue to be found even in the most distasteful of things, or so the staff at the White House have been told, so for today, just grin and bear it. And if you can’t hold your tongue? Bitch about it in the group chat like a normal, well-rounded adult instead.

3. Smile & laugh

Allegedly, frequent smiling and laughing makes you an all-together more pleasant person to be around. Who knew?

So, take every opportunity today to crack a smile and give a hearty laugh when interacting with those around you. Even if they’re not being very funny, or interesting, or even nice – if you keep laughing at them they’ll eventually realise that you’re clinically insane and hopefully you’ll be sectioned for the rest of the working day. Fingers crossed!

4. Show interest

Good conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue, so try not to monopolise the conversation this Valentine’s Day, and instead give other people a chance to shine and listen to what they have to say with genuine interest.

You never know, you might learn some interesting things, like what type of cat litter Sandra’s Persian likes best, or which one of Jason’s 3 side-pieces he’s decided to bestow a bunch of petrol station flowers upon this VDay (Hope it’s me to be fair).

5. Be sincere

We all make mistakes, and we all end up upsetting and hurting others, whether intentional or not. But what matters most is how we rectify and remedy these situations, namely by apologising and showing genuine remorse for our actions.

So, if you’re feeling the pang of guilt after putting Jennifer’s 12 luxury red roses through the company shredder in a fit of jealous rage, simply buy her a large glass of vino and calmly demonstrate your strength and humility by explaining that you genuinely didn’t mean to upset her. You just despise the futile giving of cheesy romantic gestures and believe that the concept of true-love doesn’t exist. Simples.

In all seriousness, being kind and showing genuine care and love for our friends, family, partners and colleagues is what makes the world a slightly better and happier place. So, whether you’re celebrating this Valentine’s Day in style, or you’re staying in for a well-deserved chill by yourself, be sure to do your utmost today to help spread a little joy and #ShareTheLove!

If you’d like to find out why our clients love working with us so much, check out some of our latest work and get in touch today to discuss your next project!