There’s this tacit understanding that single people are miserable. That they need to find someone stat so they won’t die of loneliness. That they would even be better off trying to get back their ex. *shudder*
However, the fact is being single is awesome. You have all the time you want to discover yourself, work on yourself, and explore your options. Constantly being in a relationship isn’t conducive to know how you’d fare alone. Being single gives you a chance to know who you are as a person, an individual, and what you want out of life. Truly, these are important things you ought to know.
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While you’re single, you are, of course, on the look out for people you click with, connect with. And this search can get frustrating at times. But the problem arises when you make this search your sole focus, leaving out enjoying your single status. Because being single also means total freedom. It doesn’t mean commitment and being in a relationship means you’re trapped. No. But when you’re in a relationship, you have certain responsibilities, obligations towards your partner and your relationship. Being in a relationship with someone you love is great, but being single is just as wonderful, if not more so, in completely different ways.
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So if you’re currently single, don’t make yourself miserable. Instead, make this time a special one where you do things for you, all those things to do when you’re single.
1. Have as many opposite gender friends as you want
When you’re in a relationship, having friends of the opposite sex is fine, but it doesn’t reach its full potential because you’re ‘unavailable,’ in the strictest sense. However, you can indulge in these friendships, the harmless flirtations that come with it, guilt-free, when you’re single.
2. Go on a trip to a place you’ve never been
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Whether it’s an exotic vacation to a European country, or a road trip across states, or a backpacking trip to South America, take that trip you’ve been meaning to take forever. Now is the time to indulge yourself in taking off spontaneously and enjoy it to the core. If you’re not one to enjoy a solo trip, rope your best friend(s) in and have a blast.
3. Quit your job and pursue your passion
If you’ve been feeling unsatisfied with your job, often find yourself dreaming of doing something else, quit your job and just go for it. Now is as good a time as any. Follow your heart, pursue your passion, live your dream. If your passion is something that isn’t a practical career choice, then you can at least try to keep it alive by making time for it amidst your busy schedule. You owe it to yourself to do at least that.
4. Have a few (or more) no strings attached flings
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Being single gives you the ultimate freedom to hook up. If you’re one who can have a casual fling or a one night stand without regrets, then go for it. Physical intimacy is one of the basic reasons why people get together, and it’s one of the natural cravings that one has as a human being.
5. Give yourself time to heal from your past relationships
When a breakup happens, one of two possible things happen: one, you wallow in it one hundred percent, day in and day out, without giving yourself permission to move on; or two, you shove your grief to the far recesses of your mind, without letting yourself to grieve for the loss you incurred and heal your broken heart. However, the most important thing to do is somewhere in between these two extremes. You need to give yourself real time to grieve, come to terms with it, let it go, and move on, looking to the future instead of back, into the past. This is one of the essential things to do when you’re single, because you are flush with time.
6. Get healthy
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Now that you’re single and have almost zero distractions, work on making yourself healthy and fit. Stick to a real workout schedule and eat healthy as much as you can. After all, exercise releases endorphins into your system, which make you feel good, and when you feel good, you look good. It’s a win-win.
7. Try new things you’ve only ever thought about
This is the perfect time to get adventurous, try new things, meet new people. It could be as small as trying out a new pizza place instead of your old one, or something big like going sky diving like you’ve always dreamed. The world is your oyster; make it as small or big as you want. Exciting things happen to those to dare to step out of their comfort zone.
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8. Have a blast with your friends
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Your friends have always been there, whether you’ve leaned on them or not. Unfortunately, some friendships get left by the wayside when you’re in a relationship. So now that you’re single, it’s the perfect time to mend some of those friendships, cultivate some new ones, and say goodbye to a few who couldn’t be resuscitated.
9. Start writing a journal
This is the perfect time to start a journal. It doesn’t have to be a detailed, formal one where you start every entry with, ‘Dear Diary…’ It could be something as simple as jotting down what you did that particular day, what new thing you experienced and how you felt, what you would like to do in the future, things like that. When you look back and read through your previous entries, you’ll know how you used to feel and how far you’ve come in your emotional as well as physical journey.
10. Be the master of your own finances
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You’re single, earning, and financially stable (if not, then you’re working towards it). So you have two options, both of which are really appealing. One, spend your money on really unnecessary things that you won’t even need once you’ve purchased it, or two, save your money for a future goal, because you really, really want to pay your way through all your travels without having to worry about debt. If these two seem a bit extreme, then you can find a middle ground that works for you.
11. Celebrate your single status with a party
People throw birthday parties, engagement parties, wedding parties, and even divorce parties. So why not a party to celebrate your single status? Invite all your friends – both single and non-single ones, and throw a party, just because you want to have fun and let loose.
12. Stop looking for ‘the one’
Despite telling yourself that you’re happy being single, you’re subconsciously still looking for them. So take a break, a real one, and just be. Don’t worry too much about whether or not you’ll find ‘the one,’ whether or not you’ll find them before you turn a certain age, whether or not they will be ‘just perfect’ for you. Just stop. Delete all your dating apps, don’t renew any of your subscriptions to the dating sites. Don’t even let it cross your mind. Just be.
13. Know who you are
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You have a lot of time to figure out who you are, what makes you tick, what you want out of life, and where you’re headed in the future. It’s your life; take charge of it. If you don’t like what you’re doing, the direction it’s headed in, change it. You have the power to do so. Just do it; now’s the perfect time to do so.
14. Catch up on all your favorite shows
I know, I know, it’s not exactly a must-do on the list of things to do when you’re single, but humor me. When you’re in a committed relationship, you’ve let go of many shows because you just. Didn’t. Have. Time. It’s high time you remedied that, don’t you think? Binge-watch all your favorite shows, Netflix and chill with your awesome self, eat all the ice cream you can, and groan out loud when you have to be at work at 8 in the morning the next day! 😉
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15. Enjoy every moment of being single
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This is the least you could do for yourself. Being single doesn’t last forever. Learn about yourself. Take chances. It won’t have have to a lonely and miserable. So instead of worrying about when you’ll meet ‘the one,’ enjoy every second of every minute of being single. Because when all is said and done, you may very well miss being single when you’re in a relationship.
With this list of things to do when you’re single, you’re all set. You just have to have the courage to step out of your very well planned comfort zone, and enjoy yourself. Are you up for it?
Featured image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
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