The difference between singles and couples this Valentine's Day.

Singles shame couples out of spite for their love, and couples shame singles out of jealousy for their freedom.

But this shaming can be counter-productive. It’s cynically-fuelled, and neither party comes out on top.

Lift, guys.

Is there any shame in admitting you want a partner? That you’re lonely? Mia Freedman, Jessie Stephens and Monique Bowley discuss on Mamamia Out Loud. (Post continues after audio).

Couples.

Be stoked you have someone to cuddle; a warm body to spoon with under the doona and snuggle when it’s cold.

Relish the person upon whose shoulder you can cry; the person with whom you can drink coffee and buy flowers and whose hand you can hold when you need that little bit of reassurance.

Appreciate the supportive voice of reason you don’t realise you need until your darkest hour, when you find yourself in a heap with nowhere else to turn; the voice that lifts you up when you’re down, and laughs with you when you’re up.

It’s priceless, what you have.

Singles.

Snore. Dribble and drool and splay your legs diagonally across the entire bed. Store your leftovers in the fridge with full knowledge they'll be there in the morning. They're all yours.

Cherish the little things: the bathroom that looks just the way you left it; stress-free post-dinner washing up; the extra money in your wallet when Christmas and birthdays roll around.

Abandon self consciousness. Be angry. Let your inner-most fears and anxieties seep from you in whatever way you feel most productive. Shout. Cry. Throw something if you need to. Express emotion in whatever way you feel necessary, because no one's there to judge.

Admit you want something more; someone to with whom you can revel in victories, and despair in loss; with whom you can sympathise, and be offered sympathy in return.

Or, don't. Remain as you are without a care in the world, because happiness isn't necessarily a couple walking off into the sunset.

It has no definition. It's whatever you make it to be.

'Loving yourself' on Valentine's might be a cliché. Heck, it is a cliché.

But 'cliché' is a dangerous term. Because even though we roll our eyes at the very thought of the word, it hides some of the most valuable learnings passed down from those before us. They're overused for a reason.

Lift, guys. No shame.

Have a bloody brilliant V Day.