If you are a single woman, you may wonder if something is wrong with you. Even in the 21st century, the identity of many women seems to be wrapped up in marriage and family.
There is societal and family pressure to marry as well. However, women are increasingly beginning to realize that being single does have its advantages.
Many women choose to delay marriage, preferring instead to focus on career, friends and self-identity. Here are ten great benefits to being a single woman.
1. Your Time Is Your Own
Ever try to organize a girls’ night out with your married friends, especially those who have children? Between the Little League games, ballet classes and band practice, mothers also need to try to fit in time with their husbands.
Something as simple as meeting for drinks can be grounds for a Mission: Impossible style planning session.
If you are a single woman, you do not have those concerns. You can pick up and go anywhere you want, anytime you want.
You may occasionally feel that you have too much empty time on your hands, but you can fill that time any way that you want.
2. Your Money Is Your Own
Closely related to time is money. Once you have a family, your spending decisions cease to be solely your own. When you are a single woman, however, your spending habits do not affect anyone else.
So go ahead and order the most expensive item on the menu. Take those dance classes. Whatever you want to spend money on, no matter how frivolous, you can! Your money is there to be enjoyed.
3. Get to Know Yourself
Many women define themselves by their family roles.
Being single, however, gives you the chance to discover who you truly are. What are your likes and dislikes? How do you live your life? What is your own moral code? What makes you tick? What are your goals, dreams and aspirations?
Being single, however, gives you the chance to discover who you truly are. What are your likes and dislikes? How do you live your life? What is your own moral code? What makes you tick? What are your goals, dreams and aspirations?
Living single gives you the freedom to discover yourself, which in turn will you help you decide what you want in a partner.
This is also a great time to learn to trust yourself. Many girls grow up with an internal voice of doubt and insecurity. As a single woman, you will need to handle things on your own; to take on responsibilities from having your car serviced to dealing with home repair emergencies.
Through this process, you will learn how capable you truly are. You will never find yourself in a relationship that is based on a fear of being alone or the belief that you need a man around to take care of things.
4. Get to Know Your Friends
Many women claim that the friends they made while single remain their closest friends throughout life. Plan trips and special activities with your fellow single women. You have a unique opportunity to learn to rely and depend on each other, and develop a strong bond.
Too often, women compete rather than working together. Being a single woman gives you the chance to break down those barriers and develop a sisterhood with other women.
5. Get to Know Your Family
If you follow the “traditional” path of marrying soon after becoming an adult, your new family becomes primary in your life.
This can make it difficult to get to know your parents, siblings and other relatives as an adult, since you have new priorities. As a single woman, you have a unique opportunity to spend time with your relatives and get to know them in a new way. Invite your parents to dinner or see a play with your brother.
You may be surprised at how different and rewarding an adult relationship can be.
6. Career Freedom
A single woman has the ability to dedicate herself to her career. If your work is important to you, this is your opportunity to develop your career. You can make choices that would be tough with a family to support, such as moving across the country or changing careers.
Put in long hours and work toward advancement or job hop until you find one that gives you personal satisfaction. Your career decisions affect only yourself.
7. Travel
If you are single, you can take full advantage of every day that you can spare. From weekend jaunts to summer resort vacations, this is the time in your life when you can best afford to get away. Traveling as a single woman presents both unique challenges and unique rewards.
If you are concerned about traveling alone, get together a group or sign up for singles’ trips. You can travel with other singles on European jaunts, cruises and even adventure trips.
Or go it on your own and stay in hostels rather than hotels. Hostels are extremely popular in Europe and are growing in popularity in the United States and around the world.
At a hostel, you will never be lonely, since there are always people around who are also looking for company and excitement.
8. Seeing Shows
On a practical level, being single has additional advantages. You can often snag the odd single seat for otherwise sold-out performances.
When the touring company of A Chorus Line came to my town, tickets sold out quickly. However, I was able to get a single ticket for half price on the day of the show.
My seat was in the third row, center. Had a dancer happened to lose a shoe, I would have been hit in the head! Take advantage of your single status to make things happen that would impossible for a twosome to do.
9. Decide What You Want in a Partner
Living as a single woman gives you the opportunity to figure out what you truly want in a life partner. Of course, creating a detailed checklist can practically guarantee that you never find a man who fits all of your criteria.
However, it is reasonable to decide on certain personality traits, interests or ways of living that are non-negotiable. Knowing what you truly want will help you avoid relationships that are doomed to fail, as well as help you find the man of your dreams.
Alternatively, you may decide that marriage is simply not right for you. Plenty of capable, normal women choose to remain single for a lifetime.
Knowing that this is your plan will help you to find relationships with men who share your philosophy.
10. Make Your Life Anything You Want It to Be
This is ultimately the biggest advantage to being a single woman. You have the unique opportunity to mold and shape your life and pursue your dreams.
There are no reasons to settle for second-best and no one else is depending on the choices that you make. Even if your ultimate goal is to marry and settle down, you might as well get your own life in place first.
So go for the brass ring and shoot for the stars. Create the life that you want for yourself and then, if you want one, find a partner who will fit into that life.
Being a single woman is a source of consternation for many women. Societal and family pressures to settle down can make even the most confident woman doubt herself.
et there are numerous benefits to being a single woman. Learn to trust yourself and your own instincts, and go after the things that you want.
You are in a unique position that may not last forever, so take advantages of the opportunities before you. You can be a success!
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