I took myself out on a date

With two jobs in restaurants, I spend a lot of my time making sure other people are happy. I see couples on dates, groups of friends on a girls’ night out, parents and kids out for lunch. So much of my time is dedicated to the wants and needs of others, and sometimes I forget to take a step back and ask myself what I want. There is exactly one person with whom I am going to spend the entirety of my life, and that’s me.

So I took myself out on a date.

On a Wednesday I had free from work, I woke up and took a good hour and a half getting fancy. I treated myself to a mint face mask, took a long and luxurious shower, and shaved my legs until they were baby smooth. I took my time doing my makeup, reveling in each step of the process; sometimes we forget that the makeup we choose to or not to wear is ultimately for us, not for those around us, and I was not about to perfect those wings for anyone else.

Once I felt as cute as could be, I left the house and headed for a movie theatre. On the drive, I jammed out to my epic summer playlist. At the theatre, which has been recently renovated for reclining seats and huge screens, I bought my ticket for the matinee of Captain America: Civil War.

It was my second time seeing the movie. The first time, I went with my dad to an early showing in a theatre packed with fellow Marvel nerds. That was a fun and engaging experience, and I really enjoyed reacting to the film with a large group of people who understood my enthusiasm, but it was nice to have a theatre almost completely to myself this time around. I wasn’t pestered by the other audience members’ reactions, and I was able to really deconstruct the movie as I was watching it. I felt like this time the film belonged to me.

The movie finished, and I took myself out to lunch. I’m a girl on a budget, so instead of going somewhere fancy, I just went to one of my favorite eateries and ordered a to-die-for Italian sandwich. I had planned on listening to a podcast while I ate, but decided instead to just sit with my thoughts for a while. I’m a very in-my-head kind of person, and sometimes the speed of my train of thought can be overwhelming, so I try to drown myself out with music or media. But on my date, I let my brain do its thing, and it felt liberating.

After lunch I headed for froyo, the perfect summer treat. I used a coupon (again, nothing’s better than a nice date on the cheap) and took my dessert outside, sitting in the sunshine and listening to the store’s radio station. It was a lovely and sweet way to end my date.

When I came home from my date, I was relaxed and content. My life can get pretty hectic sometimes, and even though I actually spend a lot of my time by myself, I was glad I took this opportunity to appreciate how awesome and fun I am. I believe that as women are often encouraged to make sacrifices for others’ comfort and happiness, and while this isn’t inherently a bad thing, it is important to remember that our comfort and our happiness are valuable as well. We matter, and the way we treat ourselves matter.

So my recommendation to you: take your fine self out on a date! You deserve your attention.