Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today, we will learn about nine reasons why it’s
better to be single. Now, let’s begin.
Many people in our society feel intense pressure to find and lock
down a romantic relationship. But what if you’re single and not looking for anything
special? You know that you don’t want to be in a relationship. You know you like being single,
but the rest of the world keeps telling you otherwise. Nobody seems to notice the
widespread bias against people who are single by choice. It’s become socially acceptable to
treat single people like they’re failing in life or missing something in their lives.
You may have experienced something like this before. When meeting someone for the first time,
they may ask you immediately if you’re married or in a committed relationship. If you say no,
the conversation quickly becomes awkward and uncomfortable. They might question
your decisions or, even worse, try to set you up with someone they know. At the very least,
they probably think to themselves that something is going wrong in your life.
Most people assume relationships are the only way to find happiness and fulfillment, but many
real scientific studies show the advantages of being alone and unattached. Even though we like
to cater to people in relationships and pressure single people into rethinking their choices, there
are many reasons why it’s better to be single… assuming you’re single for the right reasons.
The only way to reap the rewards of a single life is to be single because you want to be single,
not because you’re afraid of a relationship or scared to put yourself out there. If you’re
secretly harboring dreams of romance and companionship, don’t hesitate to
chase the connection you crave because that relationship is more likely to make you happy.
On the other hand, if you want to be single, you can and should empower yourself to find happiness
on your own. Choosing singlehood, even if it’s only for a few months or years, could be one of
the best decisions you ever make, so long as it’s your decision. If you’re unsure what you want,
listen carefully to today’s video because these nine reasons prove it’s often better to be alone.
1. Sole Responsibility As a single person, you rely
on yourself for everything. All the little things that once fell onto your partner’s shoulders are
now your responsibility. That may sound like a drawback of single life, but total independence
encourages you to depend on your own knowledge, resources, and abilities. In other words,
when you’re single, you are forced to fend for yourself, making you stronger than you realize.
In relationships, we unconsciously use our partners as a sort of crutch. Their strengths
compensate for our weaknesses, so we never bother learning or improving upon the things
we don’t know. For example, you may have avoided doing certain chores for the duration of your
relationship. But when you’re single, every ounce of responsibility falls on your shoulders. Unless
you learn how to do something, nothing gets done, and that’s why singlehood makes you a stronger,
more self-reliant individual. 2. Selective Company
Becoming single has a powerful impact on your social life as you become more selective about
whom you spend your time with. In relationships, you’re not only responsible for your social life,
but you also take on your partner’s social interests and commitments. That
means twice the amount of time spent doing things you may not want to do.
When you’re single, you have significantly fewer engagements to take up your time,
and you have the freedom to avoid those engagements whenever you want. You can
choose to be social, or you can choose to be alone, and no one will tell you otherwise.
3. Freedom to Grow
According to the American Psychological Association, people experience greater
levels of personal growth when they’re not in a relationship. This is especially true when you
compare single people to married couples. Being in a relationship allows you to grow in other ways,
like socially and domestically, but it poses challenges for people interested
in personal growth and self-improvement. On the other hand, being single gives you more
time and space to experiment with new things and improve as a person. You have more opportunities
to figure out what you want in life because the only person you’re committed to… is yourself.
4. Single’s Fitness Did you know that staying single
can be better for your health? A 2015 study from the journal Social Science and Medicine discovered
that single people are more likely to maintain regular fitness routines and other healthy habits.
This discovery touches upon one of the most significant advantages of being single versus
in a relationship. In relationships, you may become overly comfortable. Your healthy
habits may fall by the wayside as you stop paying attention to your physical shape. By comparison,
single people are more likely to maintain an active lifestyle and tend to be more
mindful of their health and appearance. In addition, single people have more time
for physically active habits and routines. For example, if you’re alone, it’s much easier to
find time to work out - time that other people might spend working on their relationships.
In simple terms, single people are more likely to stay in shape. You may not realize it,
but your single status works in your favor. 5. The Stress of Love
Love is stressful. In a relationship, there’s a lot to worry about.
Sure, there are good things about falling in love, but let’s not forget the fear,
anxiety, and tension accompanying any long-term partnership. There are moments of self-doubt,
wondering how the other person feels. There are moments of frustration and resentment when couples
fight and grow distant. Some relationships even have prolonged rough patches, creating so much
stress that neither partner feels like themselves. By and large, single people are exempt from all
the stress of loving another person. Many people will tell you that love is worth any amount of
turmoil, and they may be right. But if finding love isn’t your goal right now, you’re likely to
experience far less stress on your own. 6. Financial Expansion
Relationships are not only stressful but very expensive. You have to make plans, eat at nice
restaurants, buy thoughtful gifts, and create memorable experiences with your partner. All these
things cost money, forcing many people to sink most of their earnings into their relationships.
Alternatively, single people usually have money to spare. When you’re single, there’s
no need to share your finances, buy gifts, or make expensive plans, which means you are saving money.
If financial stability is important to you, the simple truth is… you would be happier and more
comfortable on your own. 7. Solitary Growth
There are no studies that show whether single people are more successful than people in
relationships, but we do know a few things about relationships and careers. For instance,
we know that single people have more opportunities to pursue career-related goals. We also know that
single people tend to be more productive and ambitious than people in relationships. Why?
Because they have more time, energy, and freedom to work, learn, and pursue professional goals.
In other words, people grow faster in solitude, especially in their careers, passions,
and hobbies. These are things we often separate from relationships. Giving time to one usually
means taking time away from the other. It’s no surprise, then, that our productivity decreases
in relationships and increases in solitude. While it’s hard to say if there’s a direct correlation,
single people have the freedom to be more productive and career-oriented, allowing them
to develop faster than anyone. 8. Reasons to Socialize
Here’s an advantage of single life that most people don’t consider. There aren’t many reasons
to expand your social network when you're in a relationship. You spend most of your time with
your partner, friends, or family, so there isn’t much room in your life for new people.
Being single encourages you to expand your social network, form new connections,
and befriend different types of people. Single people are also more interested in connecting
with others because those connections provide opportunities to learn, grow, and try new things.
In other words, single people have more to gain from expanding their social worlds.
While staying single doesn’t automatically make you a star-studded socialite, it encourages you
to socialize in ways other people don’t. If you want to grow your social network
or connect with people of different backgrounds, staying single may be the right choice for you.
9. Dynamic Risks Studies show that single people are
more open-minded than people in relationships. For example, single people tend to be more accepting
and open to unfamiliar viewpoints. They’re also more likely to try things they have
never experienced before. Why? Because single people are usually less set in their ways. They
tend to live more vibrant lives, seeking novelty and excitement in ways that couples rarely do.
There’s an easy explanation behind this behavioral change. Single people are more open-minded because
they have more freedom to take risks and put their domestic lives on the back burner.
For instance, a single person could suddenly move to a new country without interrupting
anyone else’s life. On the other hand, someone in a relationship has many more variables to
consider and additional roadblocks to overcome. Yes, relationships have their perks. There’s
nothing quite like loving someone who loves you back or the happiness you find in the arms of
your special someone. But there are many forms of joy in the world; some are best discovered alone.
If this sounds appealing, go out there and see for yourself. Instead of chasing a relationship,
travel the next leg of your journey alone. Despite what people tell you,
it’s often better to be single. Thank you for watching TopThink
and be sure to subscribe because more incredible content is on the way.