Why being single is awesome

It's been a long time since Jess and I have posted in our Single Girl Confidential series. But after a few months of being distracted, we're back for the finale (though we completely reserve the right to resurrect the series at any point in the future).

Today we're talking about why being single is awesome. Jess's post is here.

There are many directions in which I could take this. I could talk about how I relish the fact that I have my entire queen bed to myself (which I do. I hate sharing beds). I could talk about how happy I get every time one of my non-single friends says something like, "Oh, I wish I could join you for ______ but UCH I have to go to [significant other's] family/work/whatever thing that I really don't feel like going to." I can't even imagine not having my life to myself and how frustrated I'd get if I had to deal with someone else's obligations (I have enough of my own, thank you). I could talk about how stress-free it is to NOT plan a wedding, to NOT have a boyfriend who occasionally acts like a jerk and pisses me off, to NOT freak out over what to get him for his birthday.

But I'm not going to talk about those things.

I think we can all agree that one of the best parts of being in a relationship is the feeling that you are not alone. When shit hits the fan, there's someone there to battle it out with you, or at the very least, to listen to you vent, offer advice and support you.

Being single, you lack this extra support system. Sure, we have wonderful friends who can and will help us through anything, but it's somewhat different than having that one person who devotes more of their time to you than to anyone else.

You're probably wondering if maybe I'm writing the wrong post right now. Isn't this "why being single is awesome?" and not, "why being single sometimes leads you to find solace in a pint of Ben and Jerry's?" Don't worry.

Being single is awesome because when you're alone in dealing with the lemons life throws at you, you come out on the other side knowing that you are strong enough to make it on your own. You made that proverbial lemonade, but you didn't need anyone else to help you do it.

Despite the fact that I'm clearly going through some issues with my self-esteem at the moment, I am actually quite confident in some areas of my life. I'm confident that I can make people laugh, if not always on purpose. I'm confident that when I really want to, I can produce a well-written paper or essay (I'm particularly proud of my Stratejoy application).

But at the core of my confidence, and a fundamental part of who I am, is the knowledge that no matter what happens, I will always be okay. Though I certainly hope that I'm not single for the rest of my life, I know that should that be the case, I will navigate the twists and turns and lemons and limes and whatever other citrus fucking fruit comes my way. I will always enjoy my own company, I will always be able to keep myself entertained, and I will always find it within myself to overcome the bullshit.

I know that no one ever died of being single, so sure, you can say that EVERYONE would be able to make it on their own, if forced to do so. But I would argue that most people wouldn't be happy doing it. And while I know a lot of people who find singlehood debilitating and uncomfortable, I think the inordinate amount of time I've spent single hasn't weakened me at all. On the contrary, it constantly forces me to find strengths I never knew I had.

And that, my friends, is why being single is awesome.