The Break-Up Diet - Didn’t get flowers on Valentine’s Day? Same.

Episode Date: February 12, 2026

In this episode, I’m joined by my good friend Josephin Eklund and we’re talking about the emotional whiplash of Valentine’s Day — from expecting flowers that definitely weren’t from him, to realising you might’ve hyped the day up way more than the man did.We get into the confusion of mystery flowers, waiting around all day for a gesture that never comes, and the quiet spiral that follows when you tell yourself you don’t care (but obviously… you do). Josephin shares her worst and best Valentine’s Days — including crashing dates, fake accents in LA, Galentine’s plans, and why one of her favourite Valentine’s involved a walk to Whole Foods and a salad.We also talk about why Valentine’s Day feels so forced, why bare-minimum behaviour hurts more on this one specific day, and how to actually make the day about you — whether you’re single, dating, or deeply over it. Make this Valentine’s Day about you. Do what you enjoy doing.If you’ve ever waited for flowers, lowered your expectations in real time, or told yourself “it’s fine, I didn’t even want them” — this episode will feel uncomfortably familiar.🎧 Didn’t Get Flowers on Valentine’s Day? Same. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No, no, no. So I messaged my boyfriend at the time, like, being like, thank you so much. I love the flowers. And he was like, they're not from me. Who the fuck send you flowers? And I was like, what do you mean? They're not from you? I'm like, silly goose. They are. And he's like, no, I swear. I'm like, they are. He's like, no, I swear. And then, like, I was like, oh, Jesus. Like, who sent me flowers? Buckle up, bitches. It's going to get bumpy. This is the breakup diet. Welcome back to another episode. We have Josephine coming in for a little prep because Valentine's Day is in a few days. And I want to know your stories.

Do you have a bad Valentine's Day? Do you have a good Valentine's Day? Do you have anything you want to share with people this Valentine's Day? I'm here to hear it. So welcome to the podcast. Welcome to the breakup diet. Thank you. Have you had a good Valentine's Day?

I have had a good Valentine's Day. Sometimes. What happens? It was through. Last year was good. I was with my ex. Yeah. He was my ex back then.

Yeah, yeah. Oh, he was your ex back then? No, no, no, no. No, no, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I was like, this is getting confusing. Yeah. Not my, I haven't spent to Valentine's with my ex.

Yeah, yeah. That's good. No, so we were skiing and with another couple. It was fun. It was good. So then we were, did you go out for a double date together? We had dinner. No, because he wanted to just do it like me and him.

Oh, that's nice. That's nice. But I'm not a romantic person. That's the main. I don't even like Valentine's Day that much. No, I think it's overrated. Yeah. Yeah.

I think that's nice. Like, he wanted to spend. No, that was actually, yeah. That was a, it wasn't a bad one. It was a good one. Did you talk about how much you love each other in that day? No. No.

I didn't even have sex. Like in evening. Because that's when I was like, no, I didn't even, I'm not even that sexual. Okay, okay, fair, fair, fair. Yeah. Okay. So that was your good Valentine's Day. Yeah, that was my good one.

No, my best one was when we went to Whole Foods. I don't even remember this. You don't remember this. I remember it because we were in LA. So we were in LA? Yeah. And what, we went to Whole Foods? We were staying at this house.

At the crack head house. Yeah. The crack head house and we didn't know as a crack head house. Also, the year before, you know, I just realized this today. I was staying in that house. exactly a year before that on Valentine's Day because I was there with a friend of mine

and she had I didn't have any dates because I didn't want to have a date okay and she had like someone she met like last minute on Hinge maybe and I I crashed her date that was a fun that wasn't a bad that was kind of bad

for honest why it wasn't a good one but it was Valentine's Day and that was also in LA we just went to this bar like she had a date we were so hangover like crazy I could not even speak

I was just sitting at quiet so bored too cold did she go to the date for a bit before and then you turned that no no I was at from the beginning

oh so she just brought you without saying yeah maybe she did tell him and he was like jackpot two good looking girls and she was so hangover too and like we were so boring we couldn't say

We didn't say a word, I think. We didn't even listen to what he said. Sorry, you know what this is to remind me of? It isn't on Valentine's Day. When you crashed my date and got your date to lie and you were Olga in a Russian accent. Oh my God, yeah. With a horse racer.

Yeah. So, this is in the same house. We had the idea to like go on, like, we were young, though. Like, go on like dates. This is not for Valentine's Day, just in general. And I remember you, we're like, yeah, yeah, let's both get a double date. can go together. Anyway, we were like swiping on anyone, right? And then, and then you're like, oh, I got one. But you feel like someone who was okay. Yeah, who was okay. I could, I did not.

Yeah, yeah. So I was like, I was like, match. I was like, sorry, Josephine, see you later. Yeah. I'm going with this guy. It's okay. You were like, oh, God. I had to go alone with this guy. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, so I was, she was like, oh, where are you going? I'm like, oh, I'm going here. I think sir, or something like this random. Yeah, you would go. Anyway, I didn't say anything else. we left it at that. We were not meant to meet nothing. Anyway, we have a few drinks a day and I, we're about to go to a different place. And as we're like

about to leave, Josephine walks up with her like date that's random and goes, Yasmin, it's Olga! From Russia. I had a Russian accent like full on Russian accent and then got her date

also was lying saying that they met like horse racing and that they like knew us from a long time in full character my date like he believed it at the start until i think it did yeah till i was pissing myself laughing yeah laughing so much and then we went to the next place they both came and then individually they left because we kept going up to other people then telling people that our dad owns an aquarium and then we're sisters that was fun oh my god yeah that was like across the road from there yeah i think i know and then and then and then

And then we just like, they suddenly, I think they realized that there was nothing going on. We were just, like, having fun. That is fun, like, pretending to be a completely different person in a different city. We should do that again. We should do that again? In a different city, maybe. It's more fun when you're away. So that house in LA.

Yeah. It doesn't have anything to do with dating. The house. The house where we stayed. Oh, yeah. What are you going to say about it? The dwarf. Oh, yeah, yeah.

So, okay, this is why it was. like a crack. I know we're not really on the topic, but whatever. Like, this is why I call it a crack down house. It's because saying there's nice room, it's all good, all fine. Anyway, there was one of the person staying in this house. And we were like paying rent for this room and stuff. He was a bit weird. Yeah, he was a bit weird, but fine, whatever. We'll let him go. Fine. Anyway, we wake up to like this person basically entering our bathroom. Remember, like, because we had a bathroom and then you could open it for either side. There was like two bathrooms that are one, you could get in from the kitchen.

It was like the nearest. We could open it from that side too. And obviously we didn't lock it because we didn't think anyone else was in the house besides the guy who wasn't there, like who we thought was there, but he would never use our bathroom. Anyway, so like, I hit Josephine. I'm like, there's a random girl in our bathroom. Stealing her makeup.

Stealing our makeup. Like, how is she in the house? The guy is obviously thrown a party and not told us. It's like this after party. I'm like, that's not okay. I'm like too shy. I'm like, you got to get on it. Anyway, we go back to sleep.

The next morning we said the guy, like, we were. staying with like as well that was like that was in the morning but then the like the next day at like 11 a.m what time did I actually get into the house I think it was like around like five in the morning until like eight yeah yeah no they were still there in the night and then when we actually woke out we walked into a living room area no no no we escaped without saying anything first no but we did no we yeah yeah first no no first we escaped out the window by the pool because we thought and then we jumped the thing and said. Because we thought they were like he's friends.

Yeah. We thought the guy that we were staying with had an after party. So then we, so then remember I was driving and we were going to go get coffee. And you said to really steamy text being like, if you're going to throw an after party, like at least like tell us like we're paying as well. Like all this.

And he's like, I'm not at the house. Who's that? And we were like, what do you mean? You're not at the house. Yeah. And then he was like, oh my God, there's people in the living room that we don't know. So then he was like, can you go back? I'm like 40 minutes away, right?

Yeah. So we drove back. You could say the rest. Did we knock on a door or we just walked in? I think we came back through our bedroom like side. Like we had a bedroom that opened onto the pool. Oh, we jumped into the window again. Yeah, we jumped into the window again.

And then walked out. I think I had to be like. We walked out. I'll give the scene. Like, we walked out to people having a great time skiing. They were doing coats. Yeah. They were doing, they were drinking and doing drugs.

And it was like the weirdest concoction. It was like three people. It was like, hey. Like, I don't think we can get that specific. Like, we'll bleep that because we can't say. But like. Older man. Like one of like old.

It looked like they were shooting a porno. That's the like, like, as in like a really. But I think we can say. Like it was like. No, it was like an old man. Like he like a short. Yeah. No, there was a really short tiny tiny man.

Yeah. There's like really musly woman that was like really. A bodybuilder. Like she was like a bodybuilder, which is fine, but like all the concoction. It was funny. Her next to this guy. And then there was like someone else that was also really peculiar. Who was the other person?

I don't, I can't remember the third one. Or was there only two? No. There was three. There was three on them. Anyway, they looked like without being like whatever, they just looked like they were shorting like a shooting like a porno. I'm not kidding.

Like it was just like the most bizarre thing going on. Yeah. Anyway. I had to politely. kicked them out. Yeah, you were like, what are you doing here? And they're like, oh, we're friends are the owner of the house and we're like, yeah, but we rented this, like. Yeah. And then

they were like, they basically just let themselves in with a code. There was a code. So, yeah. And then they didn't want to get out and stop the party and it was like 11 a.m. at this point. Even when we said, can you please leave? Yeah. They were like, yeah, don't worry. They were like, yeah, don't worry. The girls started hitting on you.

Do you remember? But they were like, don't worry. We were leaving like two hours. We were like, no. No. And I was like, I looked at Joseph said. And I was like, so shy and young at this point. I was like, uh-uh. I was like, uh-uh. You're not leaving in two hours. You're leaving now.

Like, we don't know who you are. You're doing drugs in the living room. And like, and you're not leaving. And then the, and then they started hitting on Josephine. Like the guy started hitting on Josephine. And we were like, no, no, no. It's just too much. We haven't slept.

Yeah. Did he leave in then? Yeah, yeah. They left because you got quite angry. Oh, did I? Good. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, you're good.

Yeah. You were like, no. You were like really sweet. And then you were like, no. I won't stay in that house again. That's the house we stayed and it was Valentine's Day. Was that before or after that? I had this guy in L.A. who I was interested in.

Yeah. The 100 now. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I was not thinking of the same person just then. Okay. Yeah.

I was thinking of. And I was waiting all day because I was like, I wanted him to say like, come over. Oh, I remember this. I remember this. And then he did. It was like, do you want to come over and watch a movie? Yeah. And don't text me at like 7 p.m on Valentine's Day and ask me if I want to come over and watch a movie.

Yeah. So we went to Whole Foods. Okay. So we went to Whole Foods. I don't remember this day. So you have to. We walked Whole Foods. It was like 40 minutes.

And then we walked back. We had the salad and we went to bed. That's my, that was probably my favorite Valentine's Day. Oh, I'm a great time. There we go. No, but I remember like lots of walking to whole foods and going for a salad. I don't remember that particular one. Probably.

I feel like if you're away, Valentine's Day doesn't count. If you're like at home, like in the city that you live in, then I think Valentine's Day feels more like, oh. Yeah. What about Valentine's, like, do you like Valentine's Day? You see, before I had a boyfriend, I thought that I would really love Valentine's Day. But it's also kind of awkward and kind of boring because you're like expected. And it is if you're not like a romantic person or you're a romantic person.

I'm not. I like to be told how like someone who likes me. But like for me to say the other way I find quite hard. I remember like not last Valentine's Day was shit for me. He didn't even send me flowers. He didn't do anything. I got flowers to the door and I thought they were from him obviously. But my friend.

And he worked for someone else. No, my friend, Harriet was staying like, she was staying like at mine a lot. And she had a had a date with this guy a few times. and he had like dropped her off at mine once, but he didn't know her actual address. Oh, it was for her. So he sent the flowers to mine, because he didn't know an actual dress,

and he knew that she was coming on the weekend. So he sent them for her on Valentine's Day. I obviously didn't know. Like, I opened the door, I see the third. I'm like, oh my God, don't look at anything, because like there's no card, because it's Valentine's Day when you're meant to fill a card. Didn't look at the box saying the name, nothing.

Just thought they're at the house. He didn't even say thank you to him. No, no, no. So I messaged my phone. my boyfriend at the time, like being like, thank you so much. I love the flowers. And he was like, they're not from me. Who the fuck send you flowers? And I was like, what do you mean? They're not from you? I'm like, silly goose. They are. And he's like, no, I swear. I'm like, they are. He's like, no, I swear. And then like, I was like, oh, Jesus. Like,

who sent me flowers? And I was then, I was then like, why the hell would anyone send me flowers? And then I like went through, I was like, there's no way these are my flowers. I haven't even spoken to a man in two years. Anyway, I, like, called my friend, like, the girl who had them, and I was like, is there anyway, they're yours or something? No, there's no part. But then, so then I went to the box that obviously I had chucked out in the bin, like proper outside bin as well, because I had a lot of rubbish a day or whatever, oh, that week.

So I'd chucked it out, and, like, on the box, it says, not my name, and I was like, okay, so then I sent a photo to my boyfriend at the time, and then was like, I was like, I wasn't lying they're not from me like they weren't from somebody else I think my accent flowers to your address too for me. Oh fair I don't think he sent them no no he did really

but then I was like no cancel it I was thinking about the other person no oh no that we waited in for and they weren't there yeah he did after that when I reminded him yeah so what else happened in the valentines before

it was good it was like nice Like we woke up He like when I was in the shower And he got me at coffee and flowers You got your coffee? Yeah Like because in the building He lived in and it was like all underneath

So like doesn't sound like a lot But like he snuck out when I was outside When I was in the shower Yeah And then I think we even did gifts that year Okay Like I got him a gift He got me a gift

Yeah Do you get gifts for valentines Like if you are in a relationship I did the first year I did the first year Yeah Because I really wanted to And the second year

I was tired of like getting something for somebody else and then not getting something for me. Which I know isn't why you do it, but then when you keep giving and then you don't get it back, then you're kind of like, oh. Yeah. Which sucks. I was like, at last Valentine's Day, I was expecting not to get anything and I knew it, even flowers.

But that's why when I thought I got flowers, I was like, oh my God, I was wrong. But yeah. Do you like getting gifts or giving gifts on Valentine's Day? I don't give gifts on Valentine's Day. No, not really. Because I don't expect gifts on Valentine's. Yeah, I don't think it's an expectation to be fair. No.

I don't think it's like a need-a-thing, but it's super nice if it is. Yeah. But also like the person I'm with, he's not like a romantic person, I wouldn't say. Would you ever like do something special for the boy on Valentine's Day? No. Not on Valentine's Day. I would do it on any other day. Fair.

But like not on Valentine's Day. So you think Valentine's Day is for the girls? Yeah. Or I think like, I do think Valentine's Day is. overrated. Yeah, yeah. When it comes to, like, I don't want to go out to a restaurant and have dinner with, like, only couples.

Like, there's just couples and it's, like, so much, like, expectations. Yeah. Um, yeah, I don't know. Stay in and cook, is that. Yeah, I actually think that's nice. It's also really expensive if you're a couple. Like, not that I've paid forever. Like, I don't even think I've been out for Valentine's Day dinner.

I've been out for, that's probably why. but I think I've been up for like lunch and stuff but I think it's really expensive and also yeah everyone else's couples and it's a bit forced it's forced I hate things that are forest like I don't want to know it's just no so if you're single this Valentine's Day what are you doing Galentine's Day? Yeah yeah

Is that always cool what does even mean? Yeah girls Yeah girls Valentine's yeah I'm going to do this Valentine's Day. You know what's out this Valentine's Day is the movie with Withering Heights with Margotty and Jacob Alorty. Oh, okay. I don't even know about it. It's like a, I don't actually know anything about it, so, but I know it's like a big movie that's coming out, coming out on Valentine's day. Okay. That's what I'm doing. I'm going to go see that. Yeah. Are you down? Maybe. Yeah. Maybe. I don't have any pounds yet. Yeah. So that's, I think that's a good shout. Also, staying in

on Valentine's Day, but then maybe on the, a few days before, a few days after, go out with your girlfriends and have a nice night. Yeah, or the same, no, if you're single, I think you should just arrange like a dinner, like at home. Yeah, yeah. Like with your girlfriends. Yeah. And do drinks, make some cocktails, make some, like, just have a fun, like dinner and, like, yeah,

fun time. What do you do if all your friends are in relationships? Oh, okay. Crash one of their dates? Mm-mm, mm-mm. No, maybe not. That's banned. That's banned.

That's your special. Do a double date. Do a double date. A double date with who? Find someone on... No, sorry, a couple doesn't want to go. I don't think a couple wants to go out with a random, like, Hinge Man. Talking about the Hinge lady.

Yeah, what do you do with a single land? Okay. And you don't have any single friends? Yeah, some people won't have any single friends. single friends imagine like if you only have a few friends if you're in a place so you don't know that many people what i would say to do would be the whole like afternoon you do things that you like like doing so maybe you go for like a pilates class maybe you go get your hair done maybe you go for a facial like something like yeah you know maybe you go shopping maybe you go shopping late night

shopping get yourself a nice gift true get yourself a nice takeaway watch a really nice fun movie Yeah, not a romantic movie Not a romantic movie Like a funny one And then I'm just gonna do things Like maybe I'm gonna have a full body shower I'm gonna like shave my legs

Maybe I'm even gonna put on sexy underwear And for myself For myself And be like You know what I'm wanted Yeah I wish I was single on Valentine's Why?

Because I just feel like it would be so much more fun It's for it's too much more fun It's four. It's two fours. Also, like, whatever. Valentine's Day is literally one day, and if you don't think about it too much, like it's just like any other day. Yeah.

I think the only takeaway. And I think you should treat the person like everything, like different ways. Yeah. Get a coffee for your partner every day. Yeah. Such a ban, minimal thing that I was like, it's so cute. He pays my two-dollar coffee and I went down to have a shower and he snuck back in. Like, wow.

And then he even told it the cafe Passed and like, oh, she was like, Are you getting a coffee? You don't normally drink coffee. And he's like, yeah. And I'm like, That's me. I'm the mysterious lady that he's getting a coffee for.

It is sweet though. It's sweet, but it's also like, it is nice. Valentine's Day is nice, but there's a lot of pressure around it. And I think like it shouldn't just be like a Valentine's Day where couples have to put in effort. Or you feel like you have to.

Yeah. Yeah, it's like Christmas. It's like Christmas. Yeah. It's like Christmas. Yeah. Because it feels like you have to. Yeah.

Would you go on a friend's date? A friend's date. Yeah. Like with a new friend. Like someone you don't really know. A boy? No, no, a girl. Like a friend.

A friend's date? I would go on a, like, I would go like, yeah, but I can have guy friends. Yeah, yeah. But then it's like on Valentine's Day, I don't think. Yeah, I would definitely go on a friend's date. Yeah. But I still think like,

Not that you can't, but like to avoid, maybe I'd go to like a pub. But like I don't want to go to like a restaurant where it's like all couples. Maybe like a casual restaurant I'd go to, but like the restaurants, it's all couples. Oh, not like a romantic like, fine, daunting restaurant. Yeah, no. That's like banned for me on Valentine's Day this year. Yeah. Anyway, thank you for helping with this Valentine's Day episode.

I hope that was helpful for someone. Also, okay, if you are going to go, last thing, if you are going to go somewhere on Valentine's Day with a girlfriend, like friend, or on a day, give me top two places. Oh, okay. I don't know. I don't even go out anymore. Okay, I got mine. I got mine.

So mine would be the Dover, my favorite restaurant. I think that's like... I haven't been there. It's like New York, like sexy kind of vibes. Somewhere dark. Yeah, yeah, it's dark. It's in really good food, the Dover. And then...

Or the Belvedere. Yeah. These are in London, by the way. Like the Belvedere's like in Holland Park and it's like beautiful. Okay, yeah, I know that one, but I haven't been. Yeah, they're both really pretty. Okay. Like one's a bit more cool vibes.

And then the other one's like more just like very pretty. And if you went out with friends and you didn't want anything romantic. Well, then I'd be going to like a pub. Yeah, a pub. And talking to all the drunk men. Yeah. You know what I mean? And get drunk is up.

Yeah, get drunk. and then you can chat to some random finance bro or something. You know what I mean? That kind of vibe. Like just harmless. Yeah. Just good time. No one's going for Valentine's Day in the pub.

Yeah. I don't think. True. No. No. No. So the pub. The pub is probably a good shout to go in general.

Maybe that's where we're going to go. Yeah.