We all follow those accounts on Twitter and Instagram that give little pick me-ups or savage phrases that we just can’t quite muster up the confidence to type out ourselves and press send. Well, one boring Wednesday night, I was scrolling through Twitter when I came across a tweet that read:
“Ladies: Your education, career and money will never wake up one day and decide to leave you.”
Something about this tweet struck a cord with me. At first I laughed, but after really letting it sink in I thought about how most people I know are in relationships with people they don’t even like. They continue in these relationships for a number of reasons, whether it is comfort, entitlement, money or power. This ultimately leads to couples one day waking up and deciding to leave. That’s another article for another day, but I want to attempt to reach out to those of you who are caught up on whether or not to be single and talk about why it’s okay to be single.
You Can Find Yourself
Seriously, if you take a minute to break away from someone who has all of your attention and focus on yourself you’ll be amazed at what you can find. Go for a run, a walk or even just watch a movie by yourself. Have a cup of coffee in the morning on your front porch and soak in whatever free time you have with friends and family. You’ll slowly come to realize that you don’t need a significant other to feel whole. I get it, heartbreaks seem like the end of the world, but I promise there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Focus
Now that you’ve hopefully taken time to break away from another human, focus on your education. For you college women out there, really look at the core of what you’re studying and think about why you are in the major you are. You’ll notice a huge increase in the effort you put into your work. Put the same attention you once put into someone else now into building towards your future career. You’ll be amazed by what you’ll accomplish if you keep doing this for a few months.
Work Hard, Play Hard
All right girl boss, you deserve a ladies’ night out with your girlfriends. Get dressed up and dance the night away without feeling the guilt of a significant other. Talk to whomever you please and flirt! Flirting is not something to feel horrible about; it’s human nature and it’s okay to get some male attention if you’ve been working your tail off trying to bring out the awesome person we all know you can be. Have fun. Enjoying what life has to offer and living in the moment is what being single and in your twenties is all about.
Be in the Moment
Whether it’s in a crappy dive bar on a Saturday night, at happy hour on a Monday or sitting on a porch swing with your friends till dawn, please accept and understand you don’t need someone else to be happy. You have yourself and as selfish or arrogant as that may sound I will quote Justin Bieber and say, “You should go and love yourself.” Who else is going to love you if you don’t take time to reflect and love yourself first?
For When Times Get Tough…
I practice more then I preach, I swear. That’s why I’m going to tell you it won’t always be easy and sometimes being alone will get really tough. You’ll need your squad of girlfriends to help you through it and most importantly your family. I can’t say it’ll happen overnight, but, with time, if you keep working on being your inner girl boss one day you will be at such a happy place you’ll look in the mirror and say it’s okay to be single. By then you’ll have your education, career and a support system that’s out of this world. Keep pushing forward and remember to love yourself first.