How do you celebrate single life when the world seems focused on celebrating couplehood? Relationships are treated as a birthright, part of the privilege of getting older. Yet time passes by and opportunities for coupling are illusive.
You search and search, looking for that person to share your life with. The search starts to feel like a climb, and after a while, the climb starts to feel like a fight. The kind of fight that may never be won. Leaving you wondering if you’ve missed the train.
If you are single, know that your life is meaningful. Know that the people around you love you, support you and appreciate you. You are changing lives in unique ways. You’re the late-night worker, the ride to the airport, the spontaneous one, the dating storyteller, the babysitter, the achiever. You’re the one who always picks up the phone.
You wear all the hats. You pay the bills. You are the driver of your own life. You answer only to yourself. Maybe you’re a baker, knitter, adventurer, or business owner. Maybe you travel, fix up houses, or take care of a sick relative. Maybe you relish your time alone and wonder what all the fuss is about. Either way, no matter what, your life is worth just as much.
It’s easy to feel like the only one, but you’re not. Time spent single is never a waste of time. However long it takes to heal from the last love or however long it takes till you find the next one, your life is your life. And you are still you. Being single is not a byproduct of some flaw. It’s about finding the right person at the right time. Everything you dream of is still ahead of you. There are so many adventures to be had.
Be strong in who you are and your importance in this world. Celebrate your life and others will celebrate with you. And when you find the love you’ve been searching for, you’ll have so many more stories to tell about that time before you met.
15 THINGS I’VE LEARNED IN 15 YEARS OF BEING SINGLE
- There are worse things than being single.
- The fear of being alone is worse than being alone.
- Being single is better than being in a bad relationship.
- Relationships don’t define me.
- I don’t need a man to be happy.
- I can rely on myself.
- I’m kinda awesome. And I kinda always have been.
- It’s okay to want a partner, and it’s nice to not need one.
- I’ll know when I find “The One”.
- With age comes wisdom. Wisdom builds better relationships.
- Being single isn’t the same as being alone.
- Being single gives me more time to spend with other cool people.
- Love comes in many forms.
- I am 100% lovable, exactly how I am in this moment.
- Love isn’t hard to find. It’s what you are.
Author: Catherine Murray
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: Catherine understands the struggle of self doubt the same way most women do—from personal experience. Having spent years believing horrible, negative things about herself, she hopes to release other women from the pain of their distorted self image. Seeing the beauty in every woman is a gift Catherine’s meant to share. Through her company Black Locust Photography, Catherine specializes in individualized portraiture, empowering women to see the truth of how beautiful they really are. Every photo shoot she does is designed to tell the story of each woman’s individual journey, providing women with a new, positive way to see themselves.
Link to social media or website: http://www.blacklocustphotography.com
www.facebook.com/blacklocustphotography/
https://www.instagram.com/blacklocustphotography/
Photo Credit: all photos, including self portraits, by Catherine Murray
Illustration credits:
© dule964 – Fotolia.com (hay/straw)
© okalinichenko – Fotolia.com (daisy)
© Avantgarde – Fotolia.com (train)
© Qpicimages – Fotolia.com (young plant)
