Finding Happiness Is Not Always About Finding Love

I was always under the impression that finding the right man was the only happily ever after a princess could get. That regardless of the lady’s struggles, it didn’t really matter as long as she found her one true love in the end. So, when people told me, “Don’t worry, you’ll find him too,” I grew up to believe that finding my other half was the only thing that would bring me genuine happiness.

I remember looking at couples on the street and seeing them being all sweet, wondering if I’ll ever have that moment too. I’ll look at posts on social media and ask myself why it was taking too long for me to finally be in a relationship. But I can say I outgrew my being a hopeless romantic over the years.

Sure, I still get curious at times as to how it’ll be like and wonder if they’re right—maybe I do need to be in a relationship to be that happy. But more often, I spend my time wondering about other things, asking more important questions.

Why do I really want to be in a relationship? Is it because I want to be happy or I just want people to think that I’m happy? Do I really need to be in love to enjoy life, or am I just blind to the amazing things happening now? Are happy endings only for those who find their prince charmings?

If I only see things as black and white, as being in love and not being in love, what happens to those moments in between? What about my dreams? What about my goals in life? What about the change that I want to see in the world? What about the impact that I want to make? What about my purpose?

You see, I know my purpose in life, and it took a while to realize what it was. But it’s definitely not just about finding love. Honestly, if I were asked if I’d be okay to grow up without a partner, I’m confident that I would be. I love being with myself. I don’t need to wait for someone else to love me because Í finally have too much love for myself.

If we wait for someone else to make us happy, would we still think to celebrate this beautiful life today? If we rely on others for our happiness, what will happen when we’re not with them? Are we then admitting that we’re simply all empty cups waiting to be filled? Are we just blank pages needed to be written on? Or can we be the ones pouring up water to whatever emptiness we might feel? Can we be the authors and write stories that will shake the world? Shouldn’t we be capable of creating our own happiness?

I no longer see myself as a damsel in distress in need of saving, I am my own knight. It is time for us to realize that women can be queens without a man.