By: Megan Christopher
I’ve noticed that the older I get the more my female peers seem to be uncomfortable if they aren’t in some sort of romantic relationship. Because let’s face it: that’s what we’re told we’re supposed to do. From Disney cartoon to romantic comedies, the theme is clear. As little girls, we grow up seeing movies about falling in love and living happily ever after. We’re assured that marriage is the ultimate goal and it will happen for everyone.
I’m not opposed to marriage by any means, but I am opposed to the shaming of the singles. I have plenty of girlfriends who are unsure of themselves if they aren’t in a relationship or who search for the meaning of life through their partner. Or, there are those who spend countless hours swiping on Bumble trying to connect with someone. But what if we were allowed to be single and it wasn’t frowned upon or pitied? What if we took the time to slow down and enjoy the the process?
You can do whatever you want
With being single come independence. You learn to be independent of another’s needs and wants and focus on your own personal needs and wants. You can watch whatever you want on Netflix, you can go wherever you want on the weekends, and you don’t have to share your food.
Enjoy living on your own
If you’ve ever lived with a partner, you know how frustrating it can be. Living alone means you don’t have to clean up after anyone, coordinate nightly dinner, wait on someone to finish getting ready, or share your bed. It forces you to clean up after yourself and take responsibility.
Use this time to focus on yourself
Ues this time to focus on yourself. But what does that really mean? It means focusing on what you want for your life and pursuing that. You may want to spend more time advancing your career or pick up a hobby you’ve always been too busy to try, or try new exercise classes.
And focus on building friendships
When you’re in a relationship, it’s easy to isolate yourself with your partner and forget about your friends. But when you’re single you can make dinner dates to reconnect with old friends and spend your free time building new friendships.
Build self-reliance and self-confidence
This one is a big one- you learn to rely on yourself for the things you normally relied on your partner for and in doing so you gain self-confidence. Nurturing your relationship with yourself is ultimately the most important, whether you looking for a new partner or just enjoying being single.
