By Virginie Paradis, Espresso
Whether it’s a temporary state or a life choice, singledom has some undeniable benefits. Here are 20 reasons why being single is great. After all, “it’s better to be alone than in bad company,” as the saying goes!
Be spontaneous
Feel like working on that urgent file before heading home for the day? Got offered a last-minute concert ticket for tonight? Go for it! Since you don’t have to run your plans by anyone else, you can change them at the drop of a hat without answering for it later.
Pick your travel destinations
Does he prefer all-inclusive resorts, while you’re more of a free-spirited wanderer? She wants to go to France, while you’re dying to see India? Now that the relationship’s over, you can finally take the trip of your dreams. Pick when, where, and for how long to travel, without compromise!
Take up the whole bed
You’re sure to sleep better when you don’t have to share your bed with anyone. You can take up as much space as you like and sleep in whatever position you want (long live the spreadeagle!) Plus, you don’t have to worry about being woken up during the night by your partner’s snoring, elbows in the back, or coughing fits. You can sleep like a log!
Strengthen your friend network
Obviously, couples can count on each other during tough times. However, since single people are generally more diligent about maintaining relationships with family and friends, they have a stronger support network to fall back on when they’re going through a rough patch.
Live without in-laws
What to get the brother-in-law for his birthday next week? Will the mother-in-law criticize my cooking at Sunday dinner? When my sister-in-law’s kids jump on my brand-new sofa and she does nothing to stop them, can I talk to my spouse about it without it turning into a fight? Imagine how much more mental energy you’ll have when you don’t have to worry about the in-laws!
Guilt-free flirting
Everyone uses their charms every now and then to make a good impression on someone they’re attracted to. But unlike married people, single people can flirt to their heart’s delight without the guilt. Long live the pick-up!
Enjoy your comfy clothes
When you get home from a long day of work, you can swap your stylish yet uncomfortable suit for your threadbare comfy clothes, full of holes as they may be. After all, you know your dog isn’t going to judge you.
Avoid lover’s spats
When you live alone, you never have to worry about coming home to yet another argument about who ALWAYS does the dishes or who NEVER remembers to sign up for swimming lessons. You can spend your time and energy on activities that make you happy instead of quarrels that can quickly spiral out of control.
Enjoy your solitude
You enjoy a lively discussion with your colleagues or a night out with friends as much as the next guy (or gal). However, recharging your batteries with some time to yourself is important, too. You can have some alone time whenever you want without having to explain yourself to anyone, another advantage of singledom that couples don’t get.
Devote more time to your career
Are you the type who wants to move up the corporate ladder? Being single means you have the time and energy to devote to your professional success. Just make sure you don’t neglect other areas of your life by throwing yourself wholeheartedly into your job!
Choose your décor
From the colour of your walls and carpets to the plants on your desk, your living space completely reflects your personality, since you don’t have to make any compromises. Decorate your home the way YOU want and enjoy vegging out that much more.
Get excited to see your crush
Your heart is racing, you’ve got butterflies in your stomach, and your mouth is dry as a desert—the sensations that are so intense when we meet someone we’re attracted to are usually fleeting. When you’re unattached, you can discover new people and experience these exciting moments more often.
Expand your sexual horizons
When you meet a new sexual partner, your relationship is a blank slate (although it’s important to be honest with each other about your sexual histories). It’s up to you to explore new erotic avenues and broaden your sexual horizons. During your first times together, anything goes (or nearly!).
Play the field
If you like someone you met on a dating site, but the friend of a friend also catches your fancy, nothing’s stopping you from getting coffee with one and going skating with the other! Why concentrate on just one person when you can cultivate a few relationships at the same time?
Spend more time with your friends
Sometimes when love comes a-calling, we end up spending less time with our friends. When those friends have kids, getting together IRL can become practically impossible. Being single means you have more time to maintain friendships and strengthen bonds by spending time with the people who are important to you while continuing to like all the baby photos the overwhelmed new parents post non-stop on social media.
Reconnect with family
Your parents and grandparents aren’t getting any younger. Take advantage of your singledom to visit them more often. Offer to babysit your brother’s kids—he’ll be eternally grateful, and you’ll develop a closer relationship with your nieces and nephews. Family’s not perfect, but it’s there to stay.
Be your authentic self
Accept yourself—no one’s going to judge you! Single people never have to worry about endless requests to change themselves to make someone else happy, to impress someone, or to meet someone else’s needs.
Avoid jealousy
Jealousy is a problem for many couples. When you’re unattached, you don’t have to worry about that heart emoticon in a text or long lunches with colleagues. Managing your jealousy takes a lot of time and energy, and that’s time and energy single people can spend on more worthwhile endeavours.
Rediscover your independence
Even if you insist on remaining independent, it’s a safe bet that in a relationship, you count on your significant other. When you’re single, you develop emotional, financial, and material autonomy. (Re)learning to do things on your own will help you feel in control of your own life.
Be free!
Last but definitely not least, single people can do what they want, when they want, how they want. In a relationship, you have to take someone else’s needs into consideration at every step. When you’re single, you have complete and total freedom. And you really can’t put a price on that!
