I’m usually very happy with my single life. I have a job that allows me to do what I love. I have amazing friends, and I couldn’t ask for a better family. However, there are moments when I miss having a relationship. When things go wrong at work or I have a disagreement with a friend, I wish I had someone to cheer me up or just hold me until things got better. Sometimes life gets stressful and I long for a partner to share my burdens.
I actually feel ashamed of myself when I get in these moods. I know I should be grateful for everything I have, because I am truly blessed. I also don’t want to be the girl who needs a man by her side in order to be happy. During times like these, it helps me to realize I am not the only person in this position. I think, single or not, we all feel alone sometimes. When I’m in these funks, it is often my instinct to dwell and seclude myself from the world. This only serves to make the situation worse.
The best way to cope is to force myself to go out with friends or throw my energy into reaching my goals. This serves to refocus my attention on the positive things in my life rather than what I am lacking romantically. I realize that no matter what I do to ward against loneliness, it will hit me from time to time. I think it is in our nature to want a significant other to be there for us in our weakest moments. It’s how we handle these moments that determines whether the loneliness is going to define us or fuel us to become stronger people.