It feels like everyone except you has found someone to snuggle up with on those cold winter nights, including your crazy next door neighbor with warts on his feet and 27 cats. You’re lonely and desperate—at this point you’ll take anybody, right? Wrong. There are way more important things in life than your relationship status.
- Bossing up and achieving your dreams and aspirations Nothing is more empowering than having a goal, working towards it, and eventually achieving it. There’s something unique that only you can bring to the world and half the fun is figuring out what that is and showing it off to everyone! The important thing is to never let your fear of failure stop you from dreaming big. The recipe for achieving great things in life is actually pretty simple: all you need is a dream, perseverance and some smaller, achievable step-by-step goals.
- Building a sisterhood of badass women like yourself Try getting through the rest of your life without a bestie to share your deepest, darkest secrets with. It’s just not doable! The saying “sisters before misters” rings especially true when it seems like everybody’s in a relationship but you. Friendships are ridiculously underrated in western culture, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less significant than romantic relationships. Just like we celebrate Valentine’s Day for couples, there should also be a national holiday for those special friends who help make your life a little bit easier and a lot more fun.
- Seeing the world and making unforgettable, Instagram-worthy memories You can always settle down and have a family later but you’ll never be as young as you are now. Get out into the world while you’re healthy and able. Travel exposes you to a variety of different foods, languages, cultures and gives you the opportunity to make friends all around the world! In the future, when you look back on your younger years, you’ll have long forgotten your on-and-off boyfriend. What you will remember, however, is the life-changing trip you took to Fiji or that time you went shark-cave diving in Australia.
- Becoming a pro at one (or several) of your hobbies The benefits of having a hobby are endless. I’m a personal testament to the fact that developing your interests and talents can help keep you young, sexy and stress-free. This past year, I’ve been working really hard to make sure my happiness isn’t all wrapped up in a guy because happiness shouldn’t depend only on the people in your life, but on your skills, interests, goals and aspirations too. Now I can honestly say that I’d much rather spend an afternoon playing the ukulele or bungee jumping instead of staying home and wishing for a boyfriend or pining over a guy.
- Being your smarty-pants self and learning new things Being single leaves you with loads of free time to challenge your mind and develop new skills. The most successful people in life are those who have taken the time to master a few really important skills. While being in a relationship doesn’t mean you can’t learn new things, it does mean that you’ll have less time to devote to learning Japanese or to learning how to knit and crochet (which are both insanely fun).
- Bonding with your family (even if they drive you crazy sometimes) Growing up, my parents always stressed how important family was. Even more so than friends and boyfriends, family was the most important thing and to this day, it has remained my first priority above anything else. They may drive you crazy, but as Jim Butcher once said, “There’s nothing that makes you more insane than family. Or happier. Or more exasperated. Or more…secure.”
- Looking after your furry friends Pets are truly family and there are a million reasons why having a dog is better than having a boyfriend. Dogs are always excited to see you when you come home, they love to give sloppy, affectionate kisses, and they have hilarious, goofy personalities that will forever keep you laughing. They never get an attitude and you don’t have to worry about whether or not they’ll leave you for the next pretty girl they see. Their love is unconditional and there’s only one drawback to having a pet: their lifespans are so short.
- The way you treat people Your character means way more than who you’re dating or who you’re friends with. Rather than focusing on whether or not you’re in a relationship, use your time to focus on your character. Do you treat everyone kindly? Do you judge people by their past, or help them develop their future? Do you build others up or tear them down? It’s important to be generous, kind and helpful because you never know when it might be you who needs the favor. Even if you never need anything in return, help out of the goodness of your heart.
- Whether you’re healthy and feel alive Whenever you feel down in the dumps about not having a boyfriend, make a list of all the things you’re grateful for. You’ll find that you have way more things to be thankful for than you realized, including your health. You may not always be this young and spry, so use your free time to give back to your community by volunteering or serving at your local food bank or animal shelter. Being thankful for the little things will make you feel tons better.
