Ready for my 2026 hot take?
Being single can be a truly magical experience.
Our culture pushes romantic love, couplehood and marriage on us right from the start. As early as preschool, we begin joking about kids having crushes, boyfriends or girlfriends.
We are intensely socialized from a young age to grow up, meet our Prince or Princess Charming and ride off into the sunset to a little house with a white picket fence and kids playing in the yard.
That’s all well and good as a fantasy or the plot of a rom-com, but here in the real world, coupling up isn’t everyone’s ideal. Humans carry a lot of emotional baggage, relationships take a lot of work, and blindly complying with societal conditioning is not always in our best interest.
I’ve always admired people with the confidence to step away from relationships and take a break to focus on or “find” themselves. But even if we find ourselves single unexpectedly, we can make the most of it. No matter how I got here, I’m now on a journey to explore and celebrate the many good aspects of being single.
As I recently learned on TikTok, SINGLE is actually an acronym that stands for “Stress Is Now Gone, Life’s Easier.” That has certainly been true in my case.
Here are my top 10 reasons to enjoy being single at any age:
- Less arguing, fighting and stress. There was a lot of tension, strife and criticism in my marriage – and in my parents’ marriage (and so on). Taking a break from all of that feels really good to me right now. I’d rather be alone than in a state of constant worry and walking on eggshells around someone else’s bad moods. I’d like some time to figure myself out, explore my blind spots and learn how I’ve been contributing to past relationship issues.
- Ability to focus on yourself. I have so much more time now for journaling, self-care and figuring out who I am and what I want for this second half of my life. Midlife is a great time for self-exploration and mindfulness, but it can be hard to do the necessary reflection and self-examination when wholly focused on a relationship with someone else. I love having the freedom to be alone, look inside and listen.
- Time to pursue other interests. It can be hard to prioritize hobbies and solo or friend activities when you’re in a relationship; often we just end up spending all our time with our partner by default. I have so much more time and energy now for learning new things, trying new activities and seeking out the arts and cultural experiences I had been craving! Going to the theatre or to musical performances alone is truly a gift, as it allows you to fully immerse yourself and focus on the experience.
- The remote is all yours. This one might seem minor, but I hated being judged for watching TV. Some people don’t value rest and TV time as much as others – for me, it’s something I enjoy very much. Watching movies and TV shows and then writing about them is one of my favorite hobbies, and now I can do it to my heart’s content.
- You control the thermostat. It’s great being able to set the temperature in your home to exactly what feels right for you. I like to turn off the heat, open windows and let fresh air in whenever possible, even if that means a chilly home at times. It’s nice having the freedom to do so without hearing complaints and gripes.
- You are now your pets’ favorite by default. Okay, this one is a little silly because I was always my dogs’ favorite – but now I can truly enjoy their company and devote the time and attention to them that they deserve. We have become even closer since I became single. On the days when Z is not here with us, the dogs are my whole world and they love it!
- Mealtimes are easier. No more arguing about what’s for dinner, who’s making it or where we’re going out. It’s so simple to keep foods in that I know I’ll eat, make the meals I love and do the same for Z when she’s here. It was especially hard to be a vegetarian while partnered with a meat-eater. Food and eating are a lot simpler now.
- Travel is simpler. Travel was often a source of friction for us in the past, as I love to travel and my ex famously did not. Now, as budget allows, I will be free to take trips to see my family or friends – or simply explore new far-away places. Traveling solo sounds delightful to me, as does traveling with friends or with a group of other women. I love meeting new people and making friends!
- More time with friends. Humans aren’t meant to live in isolated couples or families; we evolved from villages and communities providing everyone with lots of support, help and care. Being coupled up or married doesn’t replace the need for friends and community – but in our society, our focus is often so exclusively on spouse and home that we don’t make time to seek the broader village we truly need. Being solo has made friendship, village-seeking and community-keeping my priority, and this is such a source of joy for me.
- You can be truly open to possibility in a way you simply cannot when partnered. I’m not saying I want to be single forever. I love romance and I love love! I am not giving up on the possibility of finding love and equal partnership again – I just know that I want it to look very different when I do. I’m open to so many possibilities, including the possibility of being single for the rest of my life or focusing on friendship and community instead of romantic love. Being solo gives me the freedom and openness to explore all possible relationship and connection avenues, and that’s a wonderful feeling.
If you’ve found yourself newly single, I hope you know you can reach out to me for friendship and a listening ear anytime. This is a period of growth for me and I am leaning into my alone time, but I’m also more able than ever to be a good friend to others.
Let’s hear it for the single Pringles – we’re out here rawdogging life as a solo mission and that takes courage and confidence in this couple-centric culture! I am proud of us.
