5 Ways to Love Your Single Life

So a large majority of your friends are married, and you are not. Do you celebrate because you dodged the bullet, or do you pine because you hate being alone? Do you dread the next plus-one event, or do you land at the door ready to have a good time, with or without that extra human by your side? Simply, do you love your single life?

Being single is neither a malady nor a deficiency; it’s just a place in life. And it can be a really good place. Here is how to make sure that it is.

5 Ways to Love Your Single Life

1. Don’t wait for life; live life. Remove the sentence, “I will (move, travel, buy a house, change careers) when I find that perfect (whatever that may be).” Do it now, plan that travel; you might even choose to travel solo. Maybe find a realtor to shop for that house. If the mortgage seems daunting, plan to rent rooms to a friend. Want a new job, need education to get there. Whatever you want to do, do!

2. Find free, frittering friends—friends who are free enough to take that spontaneous trip or share that movie-binging, popcorn-eating weekend. You’re not alone, even when there are days you feel that way. Find them, enjoy sharing life and memories, and build those relationships.

3. Don’t take the bait. When well-intentioned, married friends want to discuss how to not be single, change the subject. When they want to discuss available single men and the paths to leaving the single life behind, take a bathroom break. Let them know you love your life, but just don’t go there.

4. Create your “family” structure. Identify your safety net for help when needed and be theirs too. It could be your free-frittering friends, your married friends, or your church community. Doesn’t matter where you find those who will be there to help, find them. The day will come when you need them and true friends are delighted to be the ones you run to.

5. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. If you don’t believe you’re at a disadvantage in life, others won’t either. You are exactly where you need to be. Take advantage of this time. Recognize that there are opportunities available in your life that others can’t pursue. So focus there and celebrate.

There is a verse in Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” There’s a purpose in where you are today, so follow it, live it, and love your single life.

These five things will carry you well. Make a list of each and the steps you can take to incorporate them into the world you find yourself in. Don’t wait, do it now. Find those friends and make those plans. Ignore the suggestions, input, and well-meaning interference.  Surround yourself with “family” one of your choosing. Finally, recognize there is no deficit in the life you are living. In fact, it can even be an excellent option.  You have a full, fruitful life and are perfect exactly as you are.

Make the most of life exactly where you are. There are many things that you can do, see, or be that you will never be able to do with that permanent plus one, so head out that door and get ‘er done.

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You’ll love this podcast episode from This Grit and Grace Life: What Do the Words “Grit” and “Grace” Actually Mean? – 117