Learning to Embrace Being Single

I’m 26F and I’ve never had a serious relationship. I didn’t date in school, and I didn’t allow myself to experience things like a first kiss or first time naturally—mostly because I felt left out and pressured. Looking back, I wish I had just waited and let those experiences happen in their own time.

As I’ve grown and matured, I’ve realized that being single isn’t as bad as I once thought. I’ve always liked the idea of a relationship, but in reality, it requires a lot of vulnerability and trust—two things I’ve always struggled with. Over time, I’ve found peace in my solitude. So much so that if someone wanted to be part of my life, it might even feel like they were intruding on my safe space. I’ve also noticed from my experiences that I used to avoid seeing people for who they really were and instead created a different version of them in my mind. That wasn’t healthy, and I’ve come to understand how those kinds of behaviors can be detrimental to personal growth and overall well-being. Being single isn’t a flaw—it’s a chance to build myself up, protect my peace, and grow stronger. If the right person comes along, it’ll be a bonus, but my happiness doesn’t depend on it.

Right now I see dating as just spending time with someone, since I’m so used to my own company. Thanks to everyone who’s interacted with my posts here—every time I’ve shared, it came from something I went through that taught me another lesson.