I was never one to focus on marriage or even being in a relationship growing up. I guess I was so used to being on my own that the thought of sharing my time didn’t interest me that much growing up. It wasn’t that I didn’t have good role models. My family was filled with happily married couples, but the idea of being a couple didn’t strike me as fun. Instead, it looked like hard work and a lot of compromise, and as the years went on, and I got older, the opportunity to be in a relationship became less appealing to me. I spent my younger years being a part of wedding after wedding. First, as a bridesmaid, then as a maid of honor to some of the most important people in my life. In my twenties, I had already caught so many bouquets that I thought for sure that was the real reason for staying single for so long, but in reality, that wasn’t entirely true. The truth was I was just interested in being married, and I soon came to the conclusion that would be okay by myself. Fast track many years later, and it seems that I’m not the only one who feels this way.

In today’s day and age of dating and relationships, men are more likely to feel more lonely than women. Single women who had been previously married have no interest in trying again. The assumption that everyone is looking for a relationship is just that, an assumption. Not everyone is looking to be in a relationship. A study by the Pew Research Center found that people who were single, not married and not cohabiting, and not in committed relationships, half of them were not interested in being in a relationship or even to date. Some years later, that same study was conducted again and found that the number rose even higher than people who were just not interested. Whether they were men or women and whether they had already been married or always single, more than 70% of women weren’t interested in a relationship. Among men who had previously been married before, 50% had no interest in dating.

The idea of getting married just isn’t the same anymore. We have different priorities in life; the older we wait to be in a relationship, the less likely people will be interested in being in a relationship. The attraction to the single life has so much to offer because single people can appreciate what it has to offer them. They are not so much avoiding romance as embracing the freedom, the social connections, and the psychological richness of a single life. Being single allows us to appreciate the solitude rather than being afraid of it. We are doubtful to feel lonely. What is meant to be is having the experience of nurturing ties with family and friends. As a single person, maybe it’s just that we have learned through experience that the promise of a marriage or a relationship isn’t a cure for loneliness or a guarantee in life that we will always have someone with us. Regardless of the reason, the single life is becoming the preferred choice, and because of it, we will find that being single at heart beats much differently and encourages a free living than for those who choose to be in relationships. No matter what your reason is, being single can be just as meaningful, joyful, and rich as those who choose to be married or in relationships. The choice is yours for the taking. The age-old thinking that everyone should be married is long gone because there is a difference between being lonely and being alone. If you are like me, then you know that being single at heart is more about learning to be comfortable with your solitude, and this is what helps us to be better in our relationships, and because of it, we are more likely to be healthier than people who are in relationships when we stay single at heart.