Raise your hand if you’re a chronic dater. I know I was. I went about seven years without really ever being single—and no, I wasn’t just dating one guy. I dated about six people within those seven years, never pausing between people either.
It seemed that I would end one relationship only to be pulled into another one not even a month later. I never had time to be single and truly understand what it was like. Then, something incredible happened. I broke up with a guy kind of suddenly and just stayed away from guys for a while.
Being single might not seem like it has that many perks—especially being a woman in today’s society. However, there are things single life can teach you that you just can’t learn if you’re always committing to someone else. Here are all the things that being single has taught me about life.
1. To Rely on Yourself
You might think it’s funny that I had to be single in order to really understand that I could rely on myself. However, there are too many people who don’t know how much power they have in themselves.
When you’re single, you learn that, no matter what, you can get through things on your own. Car troubles? You can handle it. Family tragedies? You can get through it on your own. I know that when I was in a relationship, I relied way too much on someone else for everything.
Now that I’m single, I have learned to rely on myself for support, motivation and even my happiness.
2. That You Don’t Need Someone Else to be Entertained
This was probably the harshest lesson that being single has taught me—and might be the toughest it’ll teach you. You learn how to entertain yourself. It sounds so strange to type here, but think about it: When you’re dating someone, they’re really your day-long form of entertainment.
You text or call them all day, always have someone to do things with and have someone else responsible for you having fun. When you’re single, you have to learn how to entertain yourself again.
This was extremely difficult for me because I was seemingly always bored being single. However, I quickly learned how to make my alone time enjoyable.
3. What You Want in Life
This is by far the most important thing you learn when you’re single. You’ll learn what you do and don’t want in life. This is something that is really hard to do when you’re in a committed relationship with someone.
They always have a way of swaying your opinion. Your significant other is always there to sort of “mold” what you do or don’t like. Being single allows you the opportunity to discover what you truly want without any interference.
4. That Your Career isn’t a Big Deal
When you’re in a relationship, a lot of your everyday conversation is based on the future—a future that is more often than not focused on your career. When you become single, your career doesn’t really hold that much relevance in your life. It’s just a means for you to make a living.
5. But Your Passions are
Your career may not be all that important in Singlesville, but your passions really are. When you’re single, you finally have the time to pursue hobbies that you may not have had time for when you always had to fit someone else into your life.
Through these new hobbies, you’ll find that you have different passions. These passions are crucial in shaping your life, morals and even your happiness. Being single has taught me that, no matter what, I have to make time for what I’m passionate about.
6. You Don’t Have to Settle
I think the reason I was in so many back-to-back relationships is that I always settled. I always met a guy who liked me, so I put it in my mind that I liked them just as much and needed to be with someone. Looking back, I didn’t really like them all that much at all.
Being single has made me picky—and I say that in the best way possible. We should be picky about whom we choose to spend the rest of our lives with. Being single has taught me that I don’t have to settle for someone that I only kind of like.
I have learned that I actually am not at all interested in most people out there and should wait until that special one comes along.
7. To Go After Your Dreams No Matter What
Without anyone else around to hold me back, I have learned to go after my dreams. Being single will teach you that you don’t have to put your life and dreams on hold for someone else. Go after them!
You’ll learn that without that end goal in mind, you lose a lot of motivation for the future. Since I no longer have to think about anyone else’s life and happiness, I’ve learned that no dreams or goals should ever be put on hold for anyone.
8. To Put Yourself First—Always
At least when it comes to your health and happiness, that is. Being single has taught me so much about putting myself above others—as with my significant other. I was the girl in a relationship who would wait on her significant other hand and foot.
Although it did make me happy to make them happy, I was ultimately putting my needs aside in order to meet theirs. Being single has taught me that what I want is important, too. Being single has taught me that this is my life, and I need to spend time and focus it on myself every once in a while.
Just because you’re single doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to gain. Just look at all that I’ve learned since ditching my relationship status.
What has single life taught you?
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