Being Single

While I do date occasionally, for all intents and purposes I am single and have been for quite some time now. My friends often ask me how I handle being single without getting too lonely, and I figured I would share my response with you.

I admit after being in a long-term committed relationship, it was tough being single at first. I realized the thing that helped the most was staying active. Rather than sitting at home by yourself, it is best to get out there and stay busy. Don’t be afraid to do the things you love alone, or invite a friend or family member along if you want to. It is also helpful to get active in any hobbies you might have, or have had in the past. This is also a great time to try new hobbies or activities that you might have always wanted to try too. As a bonus, doing this is also a great way to meet new people!

In addition to staying active, it also helps to accept that it is ok to be single. While having someone to share your life with is a wonderful experience, it by no means should be a requirement for happiness. Being single does not mean you are worthless, unattractive, unwanted, or any other negative thought that might fill you head. You have to push those thoughts aside and focus on yourself, and your own happiness as a single.

My next recommendation is to spend some serious time reflecting and reinvesting in yourself. Focus on your positive qualities and what you have to offer. Reflect on the good parts of past relationships along with any lessons you have learned from the bad and use this as an opportunity for self-improvement. When you find aspects of your life that you would like to change or improve, take the time to reinvest in yourself and follow the steps to make it happen.

It is also important to never forget the power of friends and family. Spending time with friends and loved ones is always a great cure for loneliness. Whether it is a family dinner or a night out with friends, the time will fly by while you are out having fun. If you are not in a position to visit or hangout in person, sometimes even a simple phone call can pass the time and do wonders for your spirit.

The key to all of this is to have fun! Single or not, life is what we make of it. Never let some ideology stand in your way of happiness. Enjoy life and live it to the fullest. Embrace being single and just have fun! Just don’t be too surprised when you turn around and find your next loving relationship is staring you right in the face!

Rich and Single, or In Love and Broke?

First let me start off by stating I am by no means broke, nor am I rich. I would have to say most months of the year I am financially comfortable at best. But one question often enters my mind, if I had to choose between being broke and in a loving relationship, or being wealthy and alone, which would I actually choose.

At first, the thought of being financially rich sounds pretty appealing. I mean, I am already single and have been for quite some time now, so why not take the money? But after really thinking about it, I just don’t know if I would ever honestly choose to be single forever. Yes, the money would be nice, but I am already pretty lonely and no amount of money could provide any real lasting cure for that. Every relationship that you would have would be based on money and not the man actually underneath it. And as we know, shallow and superficial relationships never last.

But being broke would also have some serious downsides too. Yes, I would be happy and in love, but I would also be stressed with struggling to make ends meet to provide for my family. I know there is a lot to be said about the power of love and the strength it can provide in times of struggle, but I just don’t know if I would actually be any happier. And let’s not forget that most relationships usually end because of finical difficulties/stress.

To be honest, I just don’t know if there really is an answer to this question. I guess the answer is to be fortunate for what I do have and thankful for what I don’t. After all, I am who I am, and all my life experiences up to this point are what have made me the man that I am today. I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.

How about you? How would you answer the question?

Contentment vs. Happiness

Is it ok to just be content in life? I mean should I be satisfied that I am just content with my life, but not truly happy? And if this is ok, how many others out there feel the same way? Or, does happiness become contentment? Do the things that make us happy at first only make us content later? I cannot help but wonder if that is being caused by our ever increasing need for instant gratification as a society? We as a people now want everything yesterday, and as soon as something bigger, better, faster comes along we want that instead. Is it possible that way of thinking has begun to take over the very way we measure happiness? And if so, should we be ok with that? What are your thoughts?