I spend a lot of time blogging about things that intersect with relationships, and at times I have blogged about preparing yourself for one, being in one, and more. So, someone could assume that the path to happiness must include one. I want this post to break that assumption. You can live happily as a single person, dating or not.
An actress made headlines this year by saying she was not ever going to share her residence with a man, again. She said she liked her space and her way of living in it. She didn't say she wasn't going to not date.. only not share the home with them. Lately, I've come to remember and value that in my own life. The times that I spent years on my own, wearing what I wanted, eating what I wanted, watching what I wanted and doing what I wanted, without needing to check with someone about time at home or out or shared resources.
The actress is not alone in this. It is a growing movement where people date or even get married without living together. There is a long list of celebrity couples that are well known as a couple and are married but live in different homes. This list includes Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, and others.
However, you don't have to even be married or in a relationship to be happy. You can simply be you and live your life without a partner. Years ago, I had a medical issue, and I was alone and felt that I should either be in a relationship or near family for things like that. However, that was society conditioning. If I paused to use reason, I could have realized I could expand my friendships to moments like that or even PAY someone to help when I had the need. You shouldn't be in a relationship just to have a taxi or a nurse. You should be with someone, because you love them.
Now, the result of all of the above and the modernized society in which we live means no two people's life will look the same, no two residences, no two couples; and I think that's only natural. No two people are the same, so it is only natural that as we pursue our path to happiness the result will not look wholly like ANYONE else. But, in the end you will be happy, and isn't that the point?
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