Tips to Embrace the Single Life

Whether you are newly single or have been single for a while, it can feel like the loneliest place on earth. This can be especially true if you feel like all of your friends are in happy relationships. However, being single has some good points, and you might just be able to embrace the fact! 

Here are some tips for embracing this time in your life. 

Enjoy being the one in charge. Relationships are all about compromise. You must consider two feelings instead of just doing whatever you want. You may have to see a movie you weren't interested in or eat somewhere you don't want to. 

However, if you are the only one - you can see whatever movie you want. You can dine in whatever restaurant you please. You can sleep in or get up as early as you feel like. If you have plans with yourself, but decide last minute that you don't want to go through with them, there is nobody else to consult when you change your mind! 

In fact, you should spend time doing the things that you compromised on when you were in your last relationship. Maybe you enjoyed romance movies but always had to settle for the action ones. Maybe you love spicy food, but your ex couldn't handle it. Maybe your ex didn't like when you cut your hair or didn't like you dressing a certain way. 

Well, now is the time to do what you want! Go to the movie that you want to see. Eat wherever you want to go. Wear whatever makes you feel good about yourself. Enjoy this time when you don't have to compromise on ANYTHING!

Focus on yourself. The best relationship that you should have is with yourself. So, take this time to grow as a person, into the person that you want to be in life. Do whatever you can to be kind and treat yourself with the kind of respect that you deserve. 

How can you do that? Spend time doing things that you enjoy. Treat yourself to an ice cream if you want to. Spend time with those who make you feel good about yourself and distance yourself from those that don't. 

Find some good hobbies that you enjoy. While you are single, you should use this time to try something new. Start taking walks or hikes. Don't want to do it by yourself? Look for groups that you can join. Take a cooking or painting class if you have always wanted to give it a whirl. Find things that you enjoy and take the time to do them. 

Spend time with your true friends and family. When you have a good family and friends, you shouldn't ever feel lonely. You should spend time with them and focus on building these relationships that are so important to you.

Don't settle, just to be in a relationship. Many people thrive in relationships. They don't enjoy being single and will overlook many red flags in order to find someone to spend time with. However, that isn't healthy. 

If you do decide to date someone, he or she better be what you are looking for in a relationship. That doesn't mean that you should turn someone down because you aren't attracted to him or her. That simply means that you should go on a first and second date in order to learn more about someone before deciding whether or not you could be with that person.

Though you may be struggling with your singleness, the truth is that you should be enjoying this time in your life. You are the only one who decides what you are going to do that day. So, if you feel like sleeping in, you can do it. If you want to spend time with certain friends, go for it. You may have spent years compromising and now it is time to enjoy being you! 

That being said, you can still date. Just make sure that you don't settle, just because you are scared of being by yourself. Take some time to get to know someone before you decide to spend even more time together!

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Previously published on Medium and/or Newsbreak.