Having Love Is Great, But These 10 Things Are Just As Important

Naturally, it would be great to fall in love with someone and have them return those feelings, but it’s not one of my biggest goals in life and I see that as a good thing. Don’t get me wrong — finding love would be amazing,  but it’s not something that I’ll ever actively go searching for. Either it happens or it doesn’t. For me, these other things are just as important.

1. A good career When everything else in my life isn’t going to plan, I can fall back on my career. I really enjoy what I do, which is the most important thing. Sure, there are days when I consider other paths, but for the most part, my job keeps me happy and motivated. Focusing on my career and pushing myself to work towards my goals is incredibly rewarding. Although being happy in a relationship is important, so is having a fulfilling career.
2. My happiness Relationships don’t equate to happiness, it’s as simple as that. I could have an amazing partner and still be miserable. I could be single and be incredibly happy. How I feel about myself and how content I am with the life I have is what determines how happy I am. To bottom-line it for you, I certainly don’t need a relationship to make me feel complete.
3. The people closest to me These are the friends and family who are always by my side no matter what. I know that I’ve always got them to rely on, and regardless of whether I’m single or in a relationship, they won’t see me any differently. I’m not going to push them aside for a boyfriend who might not be sticking around. I want to focus on these relationships and build on them because I know that I really need to keep them around for as long as I can.
4. New experiences I don’t need someone to constantly hold my hand. I can experience so many things on my own without relying on someone else to bring me out of my comfort zone. There’s a ton of stuff that I really want to try and to be honest, I don’t need someone by my side to fully appreciate the experience. The instant thrill that comes out of trying something for the first time is enough to make me appreciate life that little bit more.
5. My mental and physical health I put my health almost above everything else because that’s how important it is. I know that I need to take care of myself as best as I can, even if that means making selfish decisions sometimes. If I don’t feel mentally and physically okay, then what else do I have? No one can put me back together again — only I can do that for myself.
6. Having “me time” because I deserve it I appreciate being able to fully relax and spend time alone with my own thoughts. It gets exhausting being around other people and I need that little break to stay sane. I can take myself out on a date – why the hell not?
7. My hobbies, interests, and passions Setting aside time to do the things I genuinely love doing is what keeps me motivated in life. Work can get repetitive sometimes and I need that break to explore new things.  It’s so easy to get stuck in a routine of just doing the things that I have to do instead of doing the things that I want to do. Sure, my hobbies might not be making me a ton of money, but if it makes me happy then I’m going to keep at it.
8. Being independent In terms of becoming an independent person, I’m not where I want to be just yet. Instead of learning how to deal with my own problems, I rely on others for help and emotional support most of the time, which I know isn’t a good thing in the long run. I need to be able to take care of myself first and I can only achieve that by spending more time alone.
9. My dog Honestly, there are few things in life that bring me as much happiness as the love and affection my dog shows me. I’m not saying that a dog is better than a boyfriend, but a dog is better than a boyfriend. It’s the kind of love that is constant and emotionally fulfilling — who wouldn’t want that?
10. Me, myself, and I Self-love is incredibly important, but unfortunately, I haven’t reached that stage where I can truly say that I love who I am — but I’m learning to love myself. Ultimately, it matters most what I think about myself. If I’m not entirely happy with the person I am then something needs to change, otherwise I’ll never be happy in my own body and that’s not something that I can put up with forever. Practicing self-love is the best thing that I can do for myself.