Why Being Single Is One Of The Greatest Opportunities You’ll Ever Have

It’s normal to feel down at times about being single—that’s just human nature, especially if the single status is lasting longer than what we’d hoped. However, the truth is, being single offers some pretty amazing opportunities to enjoy life in some awesome ways. Here are some to take advantage of.

1. You can totally reinvent yourself, no questions asked. If there’s anything about yourself that you want to change, now’s the time to do it—especially if it’s a big change affecting your lifestyle, beliefs, or habits. Being single gives you more time to invest in yourself instead of in a partner, so take advantage of it. Plus, becoming a better person means you can attract a better partner when you’re ready for a relationship.
2. You can learn new skills, find new passions, and generally become well-rounded AF. Take a language course or a painting class, read books, or take up cooking if you’re passionate about food. You can freely garden, knit, or scrapbook without feeling self-conscious about your interests. Use the extra time that being single gives you to be productive and grow your skills. In the end, you’ll be smarter, more interesting, and incredibly well-rounded.
3. You have plenty of time to build a bomb career. This is a great time to either improve your professional skills or pursue some new ones. Whether it’s investing more hours at the job, taking some continuing education courses, or getting a new degree or qualification entirely, you can freely dedicate yourself to work without feeling like it’s taking you away from your partner. You’re capable and driven—why not make the most of it?
4. You can (and should) get out there and see the world. Getting paid to travel sounds like a great deal, right? You can work for an airline, on a cruise ship, or for a company that sends its employees overseas. If you were in a relationship, you probably wouldn’t want to leave your partner weeks or months at a time—and who knows, maybe you’ll meet the person you’ve been looking for during your travels!
5. You can decorate however you want. When you get married or move in with a partner, you usually have to make some style compromises at home. Living alone means you can express your design ideas however you want. When I lived alone, I painted my bedroom pink and decorated it with a white bedspread and curtains. That definitely wouldn’t have happened with a guy around!  You also don’t have to share any closet or counter space.
6. You can give back by volunteering your time. Take some of your free time that you’re not spending with a partner and use it for good. Volunteering is a healthy way to take your mind off of yourself and focus on others for a while. There are many options out there that can appeal to whatever type of person you are, whether it’s working with people, animals, or alone.
7. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want. Your schedule is free and your options are open. Trying to sync days off or times to meet with a partner isn’t a problem. Anything that you enjoy, you can pursue freely without making any compromises. If you feel like moving to a different city or taking a sabbatical from work, there’s nobody stopping you.
8. You can adopt a pet as a companion. Animals are wonderful companions who help a lot when you’re feeling lonely or down. They’re happy to see you when you come home and give you a sense of purpose in caring for them. If you like animals, pick a species that suits the amount of time you have to spend with it. If you’re not ready for that kind of commitment, pet-sitting for friends is a nice way to ease into it.
9. You have plenty of time for friends and can build an amazing, strong support group. If you’re in a relationship, you’ll likely want to spend as much time as possible with your partner. This usually means you have to trade away spending as much time with your friends. Luckily, if you’re single you don’t have to worry about that tradeoff. This is also a good chance to make new friends since you have time to invest in new relationships.
10. You can spend your money on the things YOU want. It depends on what kind of relationship you get into, but partners often have to spend money on each other. Looking back at the amount of money I spent on my ex, I could have bought myself a car instead (and that would’ve been a much smarter investment). But when you’re single, the only person you have to spend on is yourself, aside from the occasional birthday gift. It’s a great time to save up for something big, like a down payment on your own place.
11. You have more time. Time is the running theme that enables all of these benefits. Some people may be uneasy about having too much free time on their hands in fear of becoming lonely. But if you fill in that free time with productive activities and spending time with friends or family, that extra time becomes one of your greatest opportunities.