5 Reasons You Should Be Happy That You're Single And Alone

Learning how to be happy alone when you're single can be tough.

But, truly happy people know that finding happiness is within your grasp, if you just know where to look. If you're feeling alone, you can still learn how to be happier with just yourself for company.

So, after reading my last blog, a client of mine asked me, "Can you be happy being alone?"

I asked her, "What do you think?"

This client has been alone for almost 10 years so if I trusted anyone on this topic, it was her!

After about 5 seconds of thought, she responded, "Heck, yes!" Being single has, in fact, led her to a happy life.

Here are 5 reasons you can be happy even if you're single and alone.

1. You only have yourself to take care of

One of the best parts about being alone is that the only person you have to take care of is you.

For years, when I lived by myself, I had a lot of extra time in my day because I was only cooking (or not!), cleaning, and planning for myself. Now that I am with someone else, I spend a good portion of my day taking care of him and his needs. I love him and don’t mind doing this but I must admit that some days, I wish I didn’t have to.

Imagine if your everyday was full of doing only what you wanted to do, taking care of only yourself, cooking (or not), watching whatever TV you want to watch, going to bed on your own schedule and not picking up anyone else’s clothes.

How amazing would that feel?

2. You don’t have to compromise

Now, don’t get me wrong. The willingness to compromise is important in every relationship. However, in some relationships, we can sometimes compromise too much.

When my client was married, she lived her life for what her husband wanted and needed. He wanted her to quit a job that she loved, so she did. He wanted to move to another town, even though she loved their current house, but she agreed nonetheless.

He insisted they have dinner with his family on Sundays, in spite of the fact that her family was around on Sunday nights as well.

Don’t get me wrong, her ex compromised too, I am sure, but she had to bend over backwards most days to make him happy.

Imagine that, not having to negotiate with someone else around something that you want or don’t want to do. Living your own life on your own terms.

How amazing would that be?

3. You won’t suffer those daily little hurts

One of the hardest things about relationships, both good and bad ones, is what I call the 1000 little cuts, those little tiny cuts that occur over the course of a relationship, cuts that undermine the strength of the relationship and, sometimes, lead to its collapse.

What kind of little cuts?

Not coming home on time, leaving underwear on the floor, lying about how much beer you had with your buddies, spending more money at the dress shop then planned, farting without apologizing, not walking the dog at the right time, slurping your coffee, snoring— you get the picture.

One of the nice things about being alone is that you aren’t subjected to those little daily pains, the ones that make you feel so bad about yourself and so bad about your relationship.

When I was alone, I remember distinctly how much better I felt at the end of the day because no one had caused me pain that day. My dog was curled up next to me and he only loved me. I felt pretty good about myself, I have to say.

4. You can get good love elsewhere

This is one point that my client made about learning how to be happy alone that I hadn’t really thought of before.

When you aren’t in a relationship, love is accessible anywhere. While romantic love is lovely, you can find love in both usual and unusual places.

First and foremost, you have steadfast and strong love from your friends and family. You know that they will be there for you through thick and thin and that you will always have someone to cry with or go to the movies with or spend the holidays with. No matter what.

There are also other ways to find love. A big source of love is volunteering. There is nothing better than working with people or animals who need love and support for bringing more love into your life.

When I was single, I volunteered at a food shelter once a week and when I went home, I felt like a million bucks.

Another way to get unconditional love is with a pet. It might sound like a cliché but it’s true. How many single women do you know who have a pet? They might call us crazy cat ladies but the joke is on them because we are happy crazy cat ladies!

So, know that, if you are single, you can get love in all sorts of places and, yes, you can be happy being alone.

5. You are free to be you

The most amazing part of learning how to be alone and being happy about it is that you are totally free to be who you want to be.

Of course, being in a partnership can be wonderful. But, whether you are happy or not, because you are part of a twosome you are sometimes limited in your choices of who you can be in the world.