That's me in Iceland. I think it's romantic, not having a man in the picture. Haha.Being single means doing many things on your own and having more alone time. Some people are less comfortable than others when it comes to being single or having alone time. They see it as a punishment. I don't. As a half-introvert who spent much of her teens writing poetry and daydreaming, I will attempt to make the solitude thing palatable for the singletons who don't care to look inward/play solitaire/shop alone. Here's what's awesome about stagging it through life:
1. Your diet is your diet. You can eat what you want and chow down precisely when you feel hungry. You do not have to wait for your man to come home from work. You can also watch the movies you want. This is a real plus for me. I watch lame Rom-Coms over and over.
2. You can do errands without the dead weight. I once had a roommate complain that she just wanted someone with whom to run errands on the weekends. I also had a boyfriend who begged me to stick around and watch while he cleaned his closet. Personally, I get antsy when I think I'm boring someone else. Also, I shop, run errands, and do chores much faster without a second voice chiming in.
See our tips: 12 Good Things That Come Out of a Bad Date!
3. You will really get to know yourself. Okay. What does this mean, getting to know one's self? I'm going to take a stab at this. If you're someone who writes in a journal, you probably write down a lot of plot (e.g. "He called while I was in the shower"). But every once in a while, you'll add a little commentary (e.g. "Why do I shower so much?" or "I wish I hadn't overreacted. My bad."). Maybe you'll read old entries and discover a pattern in your behavior. Now, some people, when they are upset or stressed, will go mop the floor and re-varnish the table and won't be able to recognize stress if it bites them in the face. I, on the other hand, let the floor get dirty while I reflect-Erin, why are you feeling this way? Some might say that's more productive than mopping. Self-reflection makes you aware of how you think, move, react, and how it affects others. If you know yourself, you'll probably be less crazy when you have a boyfriend and argue with him-you'll understand your feelings and hopefully articulate yourself like a master journaler. This will make you a better partner.
4. You can be a good aunt. Since my friends have become new moms, I've been able to spend time with their babies. Hopefully the next generation will appreciate how cool/crazy Auntie E is.
5. You can develop talents and take up hobbies. I have had the time to learn Italian, take surfing lessons, run a half-marathon, and go to ballet class. I'd also like to take up sewing and cooking (for real-cooking. I'm considering it).
6. You actually get out of the house. It's hard to motivate for a party when you're sitting on the couch in your sweats, cuddling with your BF. It might also be hard to get him to care about your friends. Or vice versa. But being single makes your social life less complicated in a way. You're more open-minded about going out.
Related: Sex Question: Who Finishes First?
7. You can travel. Now's the time to explore. You may not have the freedom later. Call up a friend and start packing!
8. Loneliness hurts less. Feeling lonely when you're in a relationship is much worse than feeling lonely when you're single. And yes, married people do feel lonely at times (e.g. when he's taking you for granted or going into his man cave).
Now. Turn off the TV. Spend some time with the person you've known the longest (yes, you). You should want to get to know this person. You should like him or her, otherwise who else will? (But don't love yourself so much that people can't stand you, haha.)
What do you love about being single?
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