There is absolutely nothing wrong with being single.
There. I said it.
It's not that I'm bitter, have had terrible relationships or that I'm just biding my time until I find my Prince Charming. I promise. I'm genuinely OK with being single.
I'm genuinely OK with being single.
Singleness isn't a disease or a curse. And frankly, it's taught me so much about myself, the way I interact with my friends and how I navigate life.
I'm not actively searching for a partner either—that's where the whole "single and not ready to mingle" comes into play. I'm at a point in my life where I'm deflecting the thought of serious commitment.
I've discovered the reasons why being an intelligent, beautiful, and—most importantly—single woman is great.
Single women have hobbies—you would never have guessed, right? Well it's true. Single women have hobbies to occupy their time. I took up a cooking class, started painting, read more books and enjoy living my life. I'm taking the time I spend alone to cultivate my interests and passions. It's amazing what I've learned about what I love doing when I do things on my own.
My work/life balance is a little easier. Being single has helped me give the right amount of focus into my career and the steps I need to take to get to my professional goals. The art of balancing my work and personal life seems just a tiny bit easier when I'm single and looking out for myself. Don't get me wrong—I still have to balance a number of other facets in my life. But being single is a huge weight I don't have to bear.
Speaking of balance: Balancing my friends and a significant other has never been easy for me. Often, I placed my friends on the back burner and have even forgotten about them. It's so easy to lose touch when I thought I was in love with my "best friend." Being single means I have the ability to explore relationships with other people in other ways. I go out for those drinks, get that brunch, stay up all night eating good food and laughing with great people.
I'm learning what it means and what it takes to be a good friend—then I want to be better than that.
Above all, singleness is how I've reconnected with who I am. I'm discovering the truest form of myself and my personality—as an individual. I'm not done doing any of these things. I've only just begun. I'm working on learning from my singleness, not letting it make me sad, bitter or jealous. I'm loving the time I spend alone, and I'm growing.
I may be single, but I'm definitely not ready to mingle yet.
April Simone Stevens, a Grand Rapids-based book blogger, enjoys writing, reading and cooking. When not working as a digital producer for 13 ON YOUR SIDE, April Simone is often found between the stacks at local bookstores or sipping tea at her favorite cafe. Keep up with her adventures and reflections on Instagram: @books.with.april
