You're single. So what?

Though you have probably convinced yourself to the contrary: Your life is not a romantic comedy, nor is it going to turn into one. Hugh Grant is not going to sweep into your living room, profess his love before falling down the stairs. You will not kiss romantically to the audience’s glee as he lies crumpled at the bottom of those steps. Men will probably not fight over you in a fountain.

Ever.

So now that this painful news is out of the way, let’s get down to business. Push your cat off your lap, get off the couch, put away the ice-cream and change out of your pajamas – there is a beautiful world out there that is yours for the taking – and you are going to take it alone and you are going to LIKE it! Why? Because guess what: It’s OK to be single.

Being single in today’s day and age carries with it a certain, and unfortunate, stigma. People assume “I’m single” means “I’m looking” or, even worse, “I have twenty cats and love them all more than any of my past boyfriends – who I perform voodoo rituals upon on a nightly basis.” Believe it or not, you could just be at a point in your life where a relationship would only be detrimental to your mental health. You have too much work, too much school, too much going on – and to top it all off, your boyfriend is whining that you never go out anymore. Well he can suck it up because your agenda is important too. There is nothing wrong with focusing on yourself for once – after all, you can’t truly love another person before you learn to love yourself. Being single isn’t a curse: it’s a sense of freedom – you have the freedom to go home when you please, look at who you please, and DO what you please. You don’t need to have someone to be someone.

So, girl, stop texting your ex back. Be as flirty as you want and then leave him hangin’. Go home early, get your crap done and then kick back and give yourself a facial. Go out with your friends. Ignore the creepers, the nay sayers. Stop looking at your cute couple friends with intense jealousy and revulsion – you’ll find that when you’re ready, or if you want to.

So stretch out in that big, comfortable and wonderfully empty bed and snore as loud as you want because girl, you are FREE.