We all yearn for affection from a significant other from time to time. However, there are benefits to being single. About a month ago, I broke up with my boyfriend. It was difficult at first because I still loved him, but I knew we were better off apart than together. Since then, I have slowly begun to remember the benefits of being single, and I have accepted my single status. Whether you have been single for a long time or you’re recently single, I hope reading this article will help you accept your single status as well.
1. Time for Self-Care
When you are dating someone, you are constantly around at least one other person. As a college student, I am extremely busy and rarely had time to practice my self-care routine. Now that I am single, I take the time that I would have used to be with my ex to practice self-care including naps, crafting and more. I am a strong believer in self-care, so I fully support being single if it means stronger mental health!
I think we all know what I mean by this one. Valentine’s Day presents? No need. Surprise candy bars? I can keep them for myself now. Dinner dates? I am the girl, yes, but it is the 21st century, and everybody can save money by not going on as many dates. The list continues to go on. Overall, being single is just cheaper.
See that cute guy over in the corner at the party? Now you can go flirt with him. Those dating apps that everybody is raving on and on about? You can download them. You want to have safe sex with a stranger? You can do that too if you’re comfortable with it. (Please keep it consensual and safe!) Was your significant other very vocal about what he/she did or didn’t want you to wear or act? Well, now you can do or wear what you want! This point was the first point that I recognized as soon as I got out of my relationship.
Side note: If your significant other controls what you wear and with whom you hang out, it could be a sign of a toxic relationship. Remember the red flags!
Don’t get me wrong, cuddles are probably the best part of a relationship. However, with physical touch comes the combination of two people’s body heat and an invasion of personal space… a lot of the time. My favorite part of the day is when I lie down at the end of the night and sprawl across my bed. With a significant other in bed with you, sprawling out is a difficult task. Being single allows you to take up an entire bed with just the right amount of body heat needed under the blanket!
Sometimes you always want to be with your significant other—which is a totally normal thing to want—but this means sacrificing time with other people in your life. I noticed that in my relationship I had started to distance myself from some of my guy friends because I didn’t want to make my boyfriend feel jealous in any way. When I went home for the weekend—my relationship was long distance—I had to take time away from my family to spend time with my ex. By being single, I can spend as much time as I want with whomever I want.
Side note: You should do these things yourself in a relationship. If your significant other is overly jealous, it can be a sign of a toxic relationship. It may be a sign that you need to end the relationship if codependency becomes too overwhelming.
There are obviously benefits to being in a relationship, but there are more benefits to being single than a lot of people realize! I hope I was able to help you accept your single status because, honestly, being single is a great thing.