5 reasons why your single era might be your best

In a season of holiday rom-coms and baecations, you might be playing the role of the single friend right now. So many messages in our society can make you feel like the odd one out if you’re unattached. But don’t sleep on life without a plus one—the single era is quietly undefeated. It’s entirely up to you. We’ve got five reasons why your single era could be your best one yet. No partner? No problem.

1. The entire bed is now your “side” of the bed

Cuddling is cute and all, but have you ever had a full night’s sleep in your own bed without someone else yanking the covers off you mid-snore? It’s divine. You can roll from one end of your bed to the next without kneeing someone in their naughty bits.

All jokes aside, think of your bed as a symbol for your single life. You can now take up as much space as you like in your own life. As a single person, you don’t have to shrink your dreams or your personality down to fit into a relationship. Enjoy the whole bed, love.

2. Now you can truly do you

One underrated aspect of being single is the time it gives you to explore yourself sexually. You probably play nice with others, too, but being a free agent allows you to test what you like without the pressure of performance. This is your opportunity to try out those toys you’ve been eyeing or do that thing you’ve been curious about trying. Solo sexual freedom isn’t just about taking notes on what you like just so you can present them to your lover (although that’s one perk). In getting reacquainted with your sexuality for the sake of your own pleasure, you can make all kinds of sex (solo or partnered) more enjoyable.

3. You can be selfish without guilt again

Let’s be real: we all make adjustments in our daily habits when we’re seeing someone. It’s just a fact of being in a relationship. Small concessions like waiting to stream your favorite show until bae can watch it with you are harmless and usually don’t cause resentment. Until you break up, that is. Now that you are single, it’s your time to do what you want when you want and as often as you want. You can eat at all the places you loved that your ex hated. You can take that trip they were dragging their feet about. You can watch your favorite show without waiting on someone else to be ready. Redecorate your room, your place, or your life exactly the way you always dreamed.

4. That relationship review is everything

Your single era can be a time to glance backward while looking forward to everything good coming your way. Take your former relationship as a lesson learned. What went wrong or right? What kind of partner do you want in the future, and what kind of partner do you want to be? Or, if romantic love has left a sour taste in your mouth, reimagine what life could be like with platonic love at the center of it.

5. Single is the era of self-care…and community

The single era is all about growing a better you, babe, so dive into self-care. Pampering yourself is nice, but you can take it a step further with the kind of care that daily life and relationship drama don’t always make room for. How are you sleeping or eating? How is your mental health? Check in and listen to your body to know when you need rest, when you need to heal, and when you need connection with others. Self-care is important because it allows you to show up both for yourself and for your community. And when that’s true, your best era is yet to come.