What Does The Word “Engagement” Meant To You?

The term engagement seems to have shifted its meaning in recent years. Once reserved for men to get down on one knee, the majority of people today consider engagement to be an online marketing metric.  With Valentine’s Day romance in the air, it brings up the question: what does the word engagement mean to you?

Today, many women prefer a different word beginning with “e” – that of empowerment… and what can be more empowering than running your own blog which engages the world or setting up your own business or side hustle?

However, there’s a point in one’s life where the connotation of the word engagement shifts from being a useful marketing metric to a more significant and life-changing context.  Indeed, Valentine’s Day might be stirring up some deep feelings within you; and some of you reading this article might be hoping this year will be the year your partner decides to pop the question – or, on the other side of that equation, you might be feeling anxious about how to pop the question this Valentine’s Day yourself!

There can, however, feel an element of joining the cliched bandwagon around this time of year – which is why you’ll need to differentiate yourself and bring a more inventive twist to your proposal – something personal and tailored to the special person in your life.

This article will consider the core component of any successful engagement proposal: that of being tailored to your partner.  The majority of people crave the feeling of being special to someone and this is an incredible opportunity to make your special someone feel just that: special!  However, there can also feel a lot of social pressure in terms of making the engagement ‘special enough’ particularly in the world of selfies and social media, where special moments are often broadcast very publicly.

via IG @THEBOLDCHICK

The first thing you need to think about is the ring. Whether that’s the engagement ring or wedding ring, a great website to check out for ring inspiration is https://www.whiteflash.com/wedding-rings/tacori/.  That said, in some ways, a ring is the least important aspect of your proposal – as it’s the shared connection, vision and love for each other that truly seals the deal.

However, the peer pressure sometimes applied by friends, family, and marketing companies to encourage people to spend anything between two and three months of their salary on the ring itself can make people less financially able to afford such extravagance put off their engagement which causes many more problems than it solves.

The key point, to bear in mind with an engagement is that it’s to celebrate your love, your bond, and inseparability.  It’s not about a fancy ring, fancy meal, or fancy holiday… it’s the love that transcends all that external stuff.

As an example, you could order some nice bath products from a place like https://lush.com, run a bath, light some candles, play some relaxing music, and nurture your partner by washing their hair and gently pouring jugs of warm water down their back.  You could then conclude the evening with a massage, saving their left hand for last, so you can slip the ring on their finger and pop the question in this wonderfully understated and intimate way.

In summary, engagement (at least in the romantic sense of the word) shouldn’t be about buying a fancy ring and asking the question in an expensive restaurant – it should be something personal and meaningful to the two of you.