22 Things I’ve Learned After 22 Years Of Being Single

Timothy Paul Smith

1. Nowadays everyone thinks that everyone has already had a boyfriend/their first kiss/their first time etc… We live in a society where all of that is silently expected from everyone. And if you’ve never done any of those then people would look at you funny or say that you’re lying or even worse they will ask you, “Why not?” Do we really have to have a reason for everything?

2. If you haven’t done any of those things stated above then some people will pressure you into getting it over with already. Don’t let anyone pressure you! There are some people that don’t care if you have done any of those things who will love you and respect your decisions!

3. Some people will think that your relationship advice is invalid because you don’t know what you’re talking about.

4. Being alone is actually the best thing that anyone could ask for. When you’re alone you learn so much about yourself and eventually you end up loving yourself! Which is the first step towards loving someone else!

5. You learn to flirt. No, just kidding I have absolutely no idea how the whole flirting thing works.

6.
While you’re single you find some great friendships and you learn to really value and cherish them.

7. You have a lot of time to focus on your dreams and step by step, you learn that you’re very much capable of making them come true!

8. You learn to have fun with things other than sex, drugs, and alcohol. For instance you discover new hobbies and talents such as singing, drawing, writing etc… And who knows, one of those things could be what you end up doing for the rest of your life! So while everyone is chasing after sex you, on the other hand, are slowly building your life and making sure that you are happy.

9. You save a lot of money on gifts. Let’s be honest, that’s a good perk of being single not because you’re cheap but because you learn to manage the money that you have and you save it for other important things.

10. You can walk around your house naked. Granted you can do that with a partner I suppose.

11. Nobody tells you what to do or what to wear or when to eat or when to come home. (I stay at home and I eat candies while binge watching Sense8 anyway…)

12. You can stay in bed all day. Though that also can be done with a partner I suppose…

13. You know your self-worth so if someone doesn’t treat you right then you know to just walk away. It is more important for you to keep your values rather than having a boyfriend or girlfriend just for the sake of having one.

14. You know what you want. Some people might think that your standards are too high but if you’ve spent a good time building yourself up and you know exactly what you deserve then you shouldn’t settle for less!

15. Because you know who you are and what you want, you’re more likely to be loyal and therefore a great partner.

16. You learn to do things for yourself. You become more independent.

17. You learn that solitude is not that terrible and you learn to enjoy your own company. I seriously recommend being alone to everyone! Whether it is just for one day, one week, one month, one year or more; being alone is a good exercise and you learn so much from it!

18. People get into relationships/sex really early nowadays! I’ve seen so many kids talk about dating and sex; it’s seriously crazy! Can we go back to trading Pokémon cards?

19. You learn to dress for yourself and not for somebody else.

20. You can travel whenever you want, as much as you want without checking with someone first.

21. People get surprised by your amazing sexual innuendos and other sex related jokes. Yes, I’ve been single for my whole life (which consists of 22 years) but I can make some mean sexual jokes and then laugh at myself! Sex is funny; let’s be honest!

22. You learn to be more interested in other people, not just because they’re cute and you’d like to have them on the living room floor. You actually get to know people and find an interest in every person that you meet. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

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