6 Reasons Why Being Single is Better Than a Relationship

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If you think you’re the only lonely single out there, you’re mistaken. Loneliness is one of the most common emotions shared by singles, especially following a break up. As a single person, you may feel hollow inside – exposed, empty and vulnerable. At times, these feelings can be minor and at other times, very intense, gut-wrenching pain that won’t go away. These feelings of loneliness may not only bring you great stress, they can also isolate you from others and keep you from opening yourself to the possibility of new relationships. You may also lament about being single, thinking it sucks to not have someone to share your life with. It’s hard going through life missing that physical and mental connection. You may look at other couples enviously and wish that you were walking in their shoes. But the truth, being single is great and it comes with many benefits that often go overlooked. The next time you’re feeling down about being single, remember there are things you can look forward to and things you can be thankful for. Here are six reasons why being single is better than a relationship.

Less Drama to Deal With

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You think it’s hard to figure out your life? Imagine having to balance what you want with what your partner wants. Your partner has desires and needs and you also have desire and needs. Your partner wants you to start your career on the West Coast, and you want to move back to your small hometown in Georgia and settle down. Either both of you compromise and no one fully gets what they want, or one of you wins and that’s not fair to one of the parties in the relationship. This creates resentment, plus plenty of drama, fighting and stress. When you’re single, you don’t have to worry about this sort of drama. You can solely focus on your own desires and needs and not feel selfish about it.

More Time for Yourself

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Being single allows you to focus on yourself, without the distraction of another person. Being in a relationship doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be distracted from the things you care about the most, but being single allows you to hone in on all the things you care for. When you’re single, you can get involved in activities you never thought about doing before. You can train for a marathon, take on a new hobby or focus on you growing career. Most importantly, you will have time to get to know yourself. This is important because there will be times in your life when the only person you can rely on and trust is yourself, so take the time and effort to build that relationship.

You Can Travel When You Want To

When you’re single, you can travel wherever you want, whenever you want. As long as your job is giving you enough vacation days, why not go away for a while. It’s true that you can totally go away when you’re with someone, but when you’re flying solo, you can pick up your suitcase and travel for weeks at a time without feeling guilt for it. The only schedule you’re working around is your own. Satisfying your traveling desires is a lot easier when you don’t have someone back at home waiting for you. And if you’re dating, you don’t have to worry about sacrificing a connection for the sake of wanting to finally see the Eiffel Tower.

Time to Focus on Your Friendships

When you’re in a relationship, your life begins to revolve around your partner. There simply isn’t time to build and develop strong, stable friendships. Being single gives you the time and energy to build lasting platonic relationships. Being single is also an opportunity to cultivate new friendships. When you’re feeling lonely and isolated, it’s important that you break outside of this mind frame. If you’ve lost your social network, make an effort to meet new people. Join a special interest club or a networking group. Many of the people in these networks share similar interests. You can also take a class, get involved in community activities and volunteer. These are great ways for you to challenge yourself while also receiving a great return on investment. If you were previously involved in a group or organization that you’ve fallen off from, go back. They’ve probably missed you.

More Freedom

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When you’re single, you can do what you want, when you want. When you’re a solo agent, navigating the world is based on your desires and needs alones and that is incredibly liberating. You’ll never have more freedom than when you’re completely single. Yes, you will retain individuality when you’re in a relationship, but all partnerships require some sort of sacrifice to make it work. There isn’t anyone to check in with or someone to guilt them into doing something else. If you want to stay out late with a group of friends or eat dinner at a diner at midnight, then you can. If you want to spend the whole day riding your bike around the city, no one will stop you. Being in a relationship is all about compromise, but when you’re single, no compromise is needed.

Time for Casual Dating

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Casual dating is not only a time to meet a lot of new people. It’s also a time to have a lot of fun and learn what your desires are in a significant other. Casual dating can be really enjoyable. You don’t feel completely single, and you also don’t have the commitment to a long-term relationship. The whole set up of casual dating allows you to meet different kinds of people, some of whom appeal more to you than others. You can take your time and really have an opportunity to get to know them. You get a chance to nail down what you’d like in a long-term partner, versus what you’d never tolerate. Casually dating also allows you to meet different kinds of people in a short amount of time. All of the people you meet may not be a dating match, but it may be an opportunity for some great conversation and to create some valuable friendships.

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Being single is not a bad thing. In fact, it can actually be a really cool thing. It may not initially seem like it will be fun or easy, there are so many opportunities that open up when you are. Give yourself time and space so that you can express any negative feelings you may be having. It’s important that you acknowledge pain may exist before you’re able to move on and enjoy singlehood. It’s good for some people to write their feelings down. For others, it’s easier to talk with someone. It’s OK to acknowledge that these feelings exist in an effort to move past them. Trust that your feelings of loneliness will eventually lose its intensity, which will make room for you to enjoy single life.