Life
Still-sweltering temperatures aside, fall is officially here — which means the beginning of cuffing season, when singles flock to dating apps to find a partner to cozy up with during the long winter months. If you're single and starting to feel serious pressure to settle down and enter romantic hibernation, don't fret: although being coupled up definitely has its perks, there are still plenty of good reasons to stay single, too. Particularly if everyone around you is paired off, it's normal to feel pressured to find a partner to cuddle up with (and drag to boring family parties) during the winter holiday season. But just because ~everyone else is doing it~ doesn't mean you should feel the need to jump into a relationship if you're perfectly content flying solo.
"If you're happy, then there's no reason to push yourself to be in a relationship just because society expects it," Kali Rogers, Founder of Blush Online Life Coaching, tells Bustle. "Happiness is not a one size fits all, and can only be measured by the person experiencing it. So if being single makes you happy, stay single! That's all there is to it."
Simply put, if you don't want to be in a relationship right now (or ever), there's no shame in choosing to remain single... even during cuffing season. Honestly, sometimes it's even better to be single than dating. If you need more convincing, here are 12 of the best reasons to remain single, courtesy of a recent AskReddit thread.
1
You Haven't Found The Right Person
If you're tempted to settle for someone meh (or even someone straight-up bad for you), just remember that no relationship is always better than a bad relationship — so staying single might be the wisest decision.
2
You Need To Work On Yourself
If you want a healthy partnership, it's worth your while to sort out your own issues before entering a relationship. It might sound cheesy, but the whole "you have to love yourself before someone else can love you" cliché is pretty accurate. Choosing to stay single until you're happy on your own shows real maturity, and will lead you to a stronger, healthier relationship down the road.
3
You're A Fussy Sleeper
Cuddling with someone every single night sounds fun in theory, but when you're dating a blanket-snatcher or a chronic snorer, you'll wistfully reminisce on your single days. On its own, being able to sleep however you want may not be enough of a reason to purposely stay single, but having all that room to stretch out in bed is certainly an underrated perk of being partner-less.
4
You Want More Sexual Freedom
Obviously, not all relationships are exclusive and monogamous, but if you are monogamous in relationships, being single is a chance for you to explore your sexuality (if you want to, of course).
5
You Prefer To Manage Your Money Solo
Although not every long-term couple chooses to combine their finances, if you're hesitant to enter a serious relationship because you want to keep your money management totally to yourself, that's OK. If you're a serious couple, you'd most likely eventually take on each other's debts and expenses — which not everyone wants to do. Plus, if you aren't dating, you save money on things like dinner dates and anniversary gifts.
6
You Want To Get To Know Yourself
If you tend to hop from one long-term relationship to the next, it can be really helpful to take some time to be single and really get to know yourself as an individual instead of one-half of a couple. It doesn't matter whether you use the time to build relationships with friends and family, explore new hobbies, or travel the world — being single and working on your relationship with yourself will really help you grow.
7
Your Current Partner Is Bringing You Down
Not every relationship is built to last, and sometimes we simply outgrow our partners and need a fresh start. If you're feeling stuck in a relationship where you're not totally fulfilled, it's OK to break up and take some time to be on your own and figure out what you want in a relationship.
8
You Only Want To Be Accountable To Yourself
One of the hardest things about being in a relationship is adjusting to the fact that you have to take your partner into account when you make decisions — your choices and actions can affect not only you, but your partner, too. If you'd prefer to only be accountable to yourself, that's a sign you might be happier staying single for the time being.
9
You Can Watch Whatever You Want
It might seem like a minor detail, but if you're single, you never have to "compromise" on what shows or movies you want to watch — which is a highly underrated perk of being single, IMHO. Added bonus: when you're unattached, you have no obligation to go to anyone's boring work parties but your own.
10
You Prefer Your Own Company
There's no shame in preferring your own company over that of an significant other. If you want to be single just so you have unlimited alone time, that's totally your call.
11
You Don't Want To Get Hurt
Relationships have the potential to bring us lots of love and happiness, but when you open up emotionally to someone, it also opens the door to be hurt or betrayed by your partner one day. If you can't stand the thought of being cheated on or lied to, it might be better to remain single until you're ready for the emotional vulnerability relationships require.
12
You Want Total Freedom
Don't get me wrong: you can be in a relationship and still be independent and have the freedom to do your own thing. But if you're the type who needs total independence — you want to do whatever you please, whenever you please — then the single life might better suit you.
Whether you desperately want a relationship, feel indifferent about finding a partner, or are totally opposed to being tied down, there's no one approach to romance that's better than any other. Your worth isn't defined by your relationship status, so it doesn't matter if you're single, dating, or taken — as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.
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