As a single, the most frequently asked question I hear is why am I not in a relationship? My answer: I have so much more fun and freedom being alone. I’m not to say relationships don’t offer many pleasant moments, and freedom is non-existent, but I prefer to manage my own schedule and not worry about matching my partners’ relationship expectations. I’ve heard and read many reasons as to why being single is good for our mental and physical health, and I decided to list my top 5 reasons. Note the side effects…
1. Freedom to do what you want, when you want
Living the singleton life allows the flexibility of managing your own schedule. There are no obligations to having those weekly date nights with your partner and instead you can do whatever you want, wear whatever you want and eat whatever you want. One less companion means one less disagreement to have.
2. Spontaneous travel plans
Do you spend a lot of time dreaming about travelling? Is there a destination you’re absolutely dying to visit? Have you read all those Lonely Planet books or been cautiously Instagram stalking your friends’ vacay picture of her sipping on a mojito by the beach at sunset? Well miss, I’d say go that vacation you’re thinking about!
There are so many places in the world visit and so many different cultures to experience. Choose one or a few places and just go! You might even find yourself on a vacation fling… I mean, who doesn’t want to chat up that cute guy across the bar.
3. Self-discovery: revisiting old passions or discovering new interests
You have the choice to pick anything your heart desires and it’s a golden opportunity to do something you’ve always wanted and actually go for it. Don’t just talk about doing something when you find “time”, the time is now! When you pursue your interests, you will open doors to meeting new people, and that person could share the same music taste, love the outdoors just as much as you, or you could even find a travel buddy.
As much as new friendships can flourish unexpectedly, on the same token, it’s a time for you to do whatever you want for yourself. Being single means you have more time to yourself rather than constantly thinking about buying the perfect birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s or Christmas gift for your partner. But instead concentrate your efforts in searching for continuous excitement and fulfillment in your life.
4. Maintaining friendships
You’ve heard the “we’ll still hang out” speech from your newly-coupled friend, and you know there’s no way you two will hang out again without it being a plus one package deal, so you sit there smiling and nodding thinking about which single friends you can chill with. Single friends hang with single friends, and it’s more fun. You have no one to “check-in” with and you live your life to the fullest.
5. Learning how to be happy on your own
You are in charge of your own happiness and that means being more responsible for your own well-being. There are some people who feel their happiness will not be complete without finding their “perfect” partner to work out their issues together, but maybe they’ve never allowed themselves to spend time alone.
You have the opportunity to learn how to be happy by figuring out what makes you truly happy. Take a deep breath and step out of your comfort zone to discover your personality deeper, and take the time to cultivate your passions. Most importantly, practice self-love and accept who you are!
