Even though many people associate happiness with having a significant other to cuddle up with at night, plenty of people still find fulfillment being single. Being in a relationship definitely comes with perks, but maybe some people(especially from the generation of millennials) find that relationships cause suffocation and stagnation. We’ve been led to believe that the single life means loneliness, depression, and constant jealousy over happy couples, but could we find happiness within ourselves, perhaps? Could we find what we need in ourselves rather than seeking it in others? We will leave you with those questions for now, and if you’re currently single, don’t ever beat yourself up or get down about this.
You can certainly enjoy life to the fullest whether you have a partner or not; being single doesn’t have to mean nights alone with only Netflix and a pint of ice cream for company.
Society seems to fixate on having relationships in order to find contentment, but lots of people prove this theory dead wrong.
3 Ways to Love The Single Life
1. Enjoy the lack of commitment by going on dates.
So, let’s start this off with some brutal honesty. Not everyone wants or needs a serious relationship in their life at all times, or even ever. Some people actually feel more content by NOT having a serious commitment. I mean, think about it: no worrying about checking in with a partner about plans, no discussing where to eat, or financial issues, or relationship problems, and no asking anyone for permission. You get total freedom to live life how you want, and meet whoever you want, whenever you want. You can go on dates with whoever you like, and get to know people outside of a relationship.
Maybe you don’t know what you want in a partner, so going on dates will let you figure that out all over again. Do you want a talkative, outgoing person, or a more quiet, contemplative person? You might have no idea, especially if you’ve just gotten out of a painful relationship. Go on dates to find yourself, and find what you like in others. You have no one telling you what to do or who to hang out with, so embrace the freedom for as long as it lasts!
2. Fall in love with yourself all over again!
In a relationship, you can certainly work on yourself, but being single gives you more time and freedom to do so. Self-development allows you to build character and strengthen your understanding of yourself and life, which can actually make you a more whole person. You should think of self-development and self-love as the cornerstone for a good life and successful relationships; perhaps our high rate of divorce today stems from an overwhelming lack of self-acceptance and the desperation to attain it. We all want love, but don’t look within. We all want to find ourselves, but forget to look past our own egos.
Being single gives you a chance to boost your confidence, and do the things that make you feel most alive! You can spend your time however you choose, skydiving, cliff jumping, traveling, taking art classes, learning meditation, building a business, or whatever you want! Knock those things off your bucket list, with or without a partner!
In these trying times, many people just want answers, but find that reality doesn’t provide them with what they seek. Meditation, mindfulness, and spiritual practices have greatly increased in popularity recently, and being single will give you more time to fall in love with yourself by going within. At the end of the day, we all have just ourselves to turn to, so the best thing we can possibly do is to cultivate a healthy relationship with ourselves.
3. Spend time with loved ones.
Maybe being single doesn’t have to mean being lonely; I mean, what about those friends and family we’ve been neglecting? Can you remember the last time you called your parents or made plans to meet up and catch up? Maybe your friends miss you and want to see you soon. We pine for a lover, but we put our other loved ones on the back burner. Take the time being single to deepen your relationship with everyone else in your life. They won’t be around forever, so relish in the time you have together now.
Related article: 5 Lessons to Learn From Being Single
Plus, according to a study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, researchers found that single people had more active social lives than people in a relationship. Also, people in relationships tend to feel isolated from their friends since they spend the majority of their time with their partner. Sometimes, all you need in life is great friends and family to get you by.
Not to mention, according to a Gallup poll, over 60% of people ages 18 to 29 identify as single, so maybe most of us just want to enjoy life without the drama for a while, and truly get to know the person looking back at us in the mirror.
Related article: Why Being Alone Is Better Than A Bad Relationship
