Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about love, but for a lot of people, it brings pressure, comparison, self-doubt, and a strange emotional weight that’s hard to explain.

In this episode of It’s A Small World!, we step back from the cards, flowers, and expectations to ask a different question: why does one symbolic day have so much power over how we feel about ourselves and our relationships?

We explore how Valentine’s Day evolved from ancient rituals into a modern, highly curated story, and how that story shapes the way we measure love, worth, and connection. From social media highlight reels to transactional gestures, we unpack why people often end up questioning themselves instead of questioning the narrative.

Along the way, we talk about:

Why Valentine’s Day isn’t really about relationships, but the idea of them

How comparison culture and public displays affect how we experience love

Why the day can hit single people, long-term couples, and those in relationships in very different way

The psychology behind symbolic dates, emotional conditioning, and validation

Why love isn’t meant to be measured, and why expecting someone to love us exactly how we want may be part of the problem

This isn’t an anti-Valentine’s episode.
It’s an invitation to soften the pressure, reflect honestly, and understand what’s really being stirred beneath the surface.

Because if Valentine’s Day messes with your head, it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.
It means you’re human.

How does Valentine’s Day make you feel?

Mentioned in this episode:

Shirley Valentine https://amzn.to/4ts8F0a