While there are a lot of benefits that come with being in a committed relationship, if the timing’s all wrong, you’ll never be able to get the most out of it. If you relate to these 12 signs, chances off you’re better staying officially single for a while.
- You can’t stop thinking about what your ex did to you. Maybe your ex was totally toxic and he cheated on you or made you feel worthless. Whatever the case, if you can’t seem to move on from what he did to you and you’re still furious about it, it’s a good idea to take some time to unpack your issues before you make them someone else’s.
- You think all men are the same. Yeah, your ex was an a-hole, but that doesn’t mean that every guy you date in the future is going to be the same. If you’re still in that sort of mind frame, then it’s best to stay single for a while.
- You’re bored with the whole dating thing. When you throw yourself back into dating, you feel exhausted at the thought of it all. Maybe you’re just not that enthusiastic right now, and that’s okay. It’s better to take a step back instead of go through the motions with someone new. That’s not fair on either of you.
- You’re feeling a little lost right now. If you don’t really know what you want from the person you’re casually dating, that’s a big sign you need to slow down and focus on you. If you don’t and you pursue a committed relationship instead, that can seriously backfire. You could put yourself at risk of losing yourself to the relationship or making it your entire world, for example.
- Your current partner is similar to your exes. If it feels like you keep attracting the same partner, that’s a warning sign something’s wrong. Take some time to figure out what you want in a partner and relationship, so that you don’t keep falling into unhealthy relationships that feel like déjà vu.
- You don’t want to be single. If you’re choosing to date because you don’t want to be on your own, that’s not going to end well. Period. There’s real beauty in being alone, finding and enjoying your independence, and if you’re jumping from one relationship to another, you’ll totally miss it.
- You want a relationship to make you happy. Note to self: no one can be held responsible for your happiness. It’s totally up to you. If you expect your partner to help you work through your dating issues and make everything sunny again, it’ll only end in disappointment.
- You feel scared about commitment. If the thought of the guy you’re dating making things more serious freaks you out, there’s a reason for that. Maybe you have trust issues, for example. You can’t run from those. You have to work on them and preferably when you’re single.
- You’re feeling pressure to date. If you’re feeling stressed out about dating because your friends keep pushing you not to miss out on dating opportunities, that’s when you really need to take time to figure out if it’s something you really want. Don’t just do it if your heart’s not in it because you’ll just be wasting your time.
- You don’t know what you want in your life. If you’re not sure about your own future, how can you be sure about your relationship future? You need to have your act together and know where you’re headed, otherwise, a relationship will just drag you off your path.
- You don’t feel excited about dating. It’s normal to feel nervous before a date, but you should also be feeling excited about it. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing it? You might really like the person you’ve been casually dating, but that’s not enough if you’re not ready for something more serious.
- You want to work on yourself. Hey, this is a fantastic reason to stay single. It might make you feel weird to use it on the person you’ve been hanging out with, but it doesn’t matter if they think it’s code for “I just don’t like you.” The point is to choose yourself and what you need to do for yourself over a shot at being in a serious relationship. After all, if you’re not the best person you can be, you’ll never find the best relationship to be in.
