People CAN be single and happy

Society peddles the tired notion that one isn't truly content unless they're married or in a relationship.

Our culture, as you've probably noticed, is highly relationship-centric. Valentine's Day, dating apps, celebrity weddings, juicy hookups bantered about at work. Our Facebook News Feeds replete with articles and memes pertaining to love and relationships, not to mention posts of people professing their love for their partner.

We might as well call it what it really is: a craze. An obsession, if you will.

There's no question that relationships are a wonderful thing. Who doesn't love to hear stories of couples getting engaged on the Eiffel Tower or celebrating their 50th anniversary?

A person can derive a wealth of benefits -- physical, emotional, and financial -- from being partnered up. Provided one is in a healthy relationship, a person's significant other can greatly enrich their life, being there to cheer their successes and help them through life's travails.

But I take issue with the assertion that single people can't be happy.

Whether they've been burned a number of times in the past or simply prefer their own company, people may decide to remain single for a variety of reasons, though it isn't as if they have to justify their decision to anyone.

Just as being in a relationship comes with a slew of perks, so does the choice to live unshackled. Many people would argue that singlehood means less stress, less heartbreak, and more time to pursue personal and professional pursuits, whether that be investing in education, starting a business, traveling around the world, or building friendships. (On the flip side, a partner can help one pursue their goals by, for example, supporting them financially.)

It goes without saying that relationships aren't all peaches and cream.

There are plenty of people who are in relationships, yet still feel lonely and disconnected from their partner. That's why, as I've noted in prior entries, many people find being single to be a better option. If they feel lonelier with someone else, why not fly solo? Your own company is better than that of a partner who mistreats or ignores you!

At the end of the day, neither option is necessarily better than the other. Some people are happy being married, others are fulfilled in relationships, and still others have opted to remain single. It's a simple master of taste/lifestyle preference, and no one should have to seek others' validation for their choice.

Yes, there are many people in the world who are single and quite happy. And no one should presume that there mere fact someone is single likely means they're hopelessly lonely. Solitude -- which so many of us seek to recharge our batteries, collect our thoughts, and enjoy our own company -- is one thing. Loneliness, which no one wants to experience, is another.

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

An important note to women about men and attraction

I was raised by my mom, grandma, and two older sisters. Growing up, never did I ever take any interest in the girls at school who tended toward exposing more skin. I always treated them as I would my female family members -- with the utmost courtesy and respect. And anytime I suspected that a male friend or acquaintance of mine adopted a hump-and-dump attitude toward women, I nixed them from my life. I held men who treated women as objects in very low regard, and still do to this day. If women feel empowered to show off their bodies because they love and work hard on their physique, more power to them. In other words, if they're doing it to please THEMSELVES and no one else, good for them. However, those who do it specifically to curry men's favor are making a big mistake. It sends the wrong signals and actually makes it less likely that a man will want to stick around for a committed relationship (if that's what you want as anyway). Granted, if you're not lookin...

How To Understand People

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