10 Benefits of Being Single
- You can do whatever you want
When you’re single, you don’t have to check in with anyone else if they are okay with the plans you made. Instead, you get to march to the rhythm of your own drum and move at the speed you have chosen. What’s better, you don’t get to feel guilty or judged for the decisions you made.
- You become more independent
Single life teaches you to rely on yourself, whether you like it or not. This is a useful skill to have, as it gives you the ability to take care of yourself and teaches you to be self-sufficient – from cooking and cleaning after yourself, to learning how to cope with your emotions and practice self-comfort.
- You can flirt freely
Flirting is a natural part of human nature. While some people are more prone to doing it than others, when you’re single you don’t have to hold yourself back. You can let your eyes wander without regret and what’s better, you can explore as much as you like, putting your limits to the test.
- You get to know yourself at your own pace
The freedom to get to know yourself and truly explore the depths of your personality aren’t what relationships are known for. When you are single, the urge to merge your character with that of your partner is non-existent. You can get to know yourself without needless, external noise, which makes it easier to discover what you really like or dislike.
- You save more money
When you are in a relationship, especially a serious, long-term one, you need to be more mindful of your spending habits, as they likely don’t affect you alone. When you’re single, however, you can splurge on whatever you want, without feeling regret or the need to explain yourself to anyone. Your money is yours alone, which is a liberating feeling.
- You get to be selfish
Relationships are built on compromise. Single life, on the other hand, is not. Sure, you still have to make choices, which can sometimes be difficult, but most of the time they concern only you and you alone. The sense of responsibility that comes with being in a relationship isn’t there, which can make you feel significantly more relaxed and at peace.
- You become closer with friends and family
When you are in a relationship, it’s only natural that you spend most of your time with your partner. This is how your relationships with other important people in your life can fall behind in the background. When you are single you have the chance to spend much more quality time with your friends and family, which they (and you) will be grateful for.
- You can create your own routine
Relationships have a way of sneakily changing your routine – like how you start having dinner later because your partner gets off from work at a certain time. As I said, since relationships are built on compromise, you can’t always get your way. When single, this obstacle doesn’t exist and you can schedule your dinner and other activities whenever you want.
- You can travel anywhere, anytime
When you are the only person you have to worry about, you can plan things on your schedule without having to consult someone else’s. You have the freedom of jumping on a plane whenever it’s convenient for you or planning a group trip if one of your friends is available on the dates which are convenient to you.
- You can move… if you want to
Making important life decisions is always more difficult when you are in a relationship. If you desperately want to move but your partner is set on staying where you currently are, there is a problem, which can be tough to solve. When you’re single, there’s nothing holding you back – if you have the chance to move halfway across the world to pursue your dream job, by all means, go for it!
10 Ways to Enjoy Single Life
- Travel
One of the best ways you can enjoy single life is to travel. Traveling alone can be incredibly rewarding, as you experience the trip in a completely different way than if you would in a relationship. Solo traveling can also fill your repertoire of “That time I went to…” stories, which are bound to become happy and treasured memories.
- Spend time with friends and family
Organize your friends so you can grab some brunch together and indulge in a thrift shopping afternoon. Take your mom out to a gallery. Spend some time with your father or weird little brother. Relationships come and go but the people that matter most in your life tend to stick around for much longer. So give them the attention they deserve – one day you might regret you didn’t do that when you had the chance.
- Focus on your career
When you’re single you can put in as many late hours and hustle to progress in your career, if that is your thing. Being in a relationship takes a toll on your priorities, so take advantage of your single situation to focus on other things that are important to you, which you might neglect if your relationship status changes.
- Take up a new hobby
Is there something you’ve been itching to try out lately, like rock climbing, yoga, or playing the guitar? If there is, stop procrastinating and get to do that already. Single life is all about you and what you want to do – so take advantage before it’s too late.
- Indulge in self-reflection
When’s the best time to get to know yourself, and I mean really get to know yourself? When you are single, of course. By spending the time to consider the daily life choices you made, what their outcome was and if you’re happy with it, you will get a better understanding of what’s important to you in life.
- Find “your thing”
Everyone has something they particularly excel at. If you haven’t found what yours is yet, this is the perfect time to commit to its discovery. You can try out many hobbies and activities, so you can find out what it is, and enjoy the process that comes together with this adventure.
- Learn how to be alone
One of the great struggles that single life brings is figuring out how to enjoy spending time alone. Some people are better at this than others (introverts, for example) but whichever category you fall in, one thing is for certain – learning how to be alone is important. It is a skill that will make you comfortable in most situations, as well as show you that you are self-sufficient and don’t need another person to be happy.
- Take on a singles challenge
Nowadays, there are challenges for everything. If you are looking for something fun, yet liberating and focused on self-love, I have just the thing for you. The “I Love My Single Life 30-Day Challenge” I created a while back can be just the thing you need to creatively explore some of the things that single life has to offer.
- Learn a new skill
Take advantage of all the free time you have because of not spending it with a significant other and learn a new (or revisit an old) skill. There is always something to improve – be it getting better at Italian, which you learned in high school but neglected for several years, or getting more in-depth into graphic design. The choice is yours!
- Take yourself on a “date”
Who said that dates should always consist of two people? Dare to take yourself out and be your own prince (or princess) charming for once. Dress up, buy yourself flowers and have dinner at a fancy restaurant. Focus on the things that made you happy throughout the week and reflect on the ones that disappointed you. How can you address them?
An aspiring wordsmith with a gift of understanding the intricacies of human relationships. When she is not busy wrapping up her Master’s degree in Social and Organisational Psychology, Snezhina likes reading, learning new languages, and capturing moments with her camera.
