Being single in your 40s can be simultaneously liberating and confusing. Even if you are completely happy with your life, pop culture and the media might leave you in a quandary. Popular culture tends to portray the lack of a romantic partner as the key to an unhappy existence, but this is far from the truth. It turns out that people who are single are generally healthier and happier than people who are in long-term relationships.
We believe that your 40s are your best decade overall. You are aware of who you are and what you want. In addition, your career is more established, your flaws have been ironed out, and you don’t let the smallest things in life get in the way. Furthermore, if you end up confronting singledom, whether you want to or not, we’d argue that there’s a lot to be excited about, regardless of whether it feels that way at first.
Let’s bust some myths and look at the different ways in which you can enjoy being single in your 40s.
1. Use your ability to make your own decisions
You are capable of making decisions independently of others. As a result, you are ultimately free to spend your time and money however you choose, and you have more time and money than those who are responsible for maintaining relationships and families. Choose the options that will make you happy and more content.
2. Combat Stigma
Why not flaunt, or at the very least, take pleasure in, your single status rather than hiding it or feeling ashamed about it? As societal expectations are gradually changing, many people still view marriage as their ultimate objective. You are happy when you are part of a duo. Not at all, statistically speaking. By the time they reach the age of fifty, more than 90% of people have exchanged vows. Unfortunately, over half of the marriages end in divorce, and chances of remarriage are considerably worse, shattering the myth that most people experience permanent bliss after marriage.
3. Zero commitments
Stay out late, have a late start, eat whatever you want, and go out. According to Rosalind Sedacca, a dating and relationship consultant, “as a single person, you are free to do what you want when you want without being answerable to another.” It is none of their business to tell you what to do when to do it, or that they dislike what you’re doing. There is a certain kind of liberation in that. She continues, “Singles too frequently take independence for granted.” When you take advantage of this reality, the single life becomes much more desirable—and tougher to let go of.
4. Without any remorse, put your needs first
You don’t have to think about how other people might feel. By the time you reach your forties, you probably have a very clear notion of what you want to achieve in life, and since you are single, nothing will stand in your way. There is no requirement to compromise or make concessions, as there could be if you were a pair.
5. Make Time for the People and Activities You Enjoy
Make sure to schedule frequent time for your loved ones, friends, and the activities you enjoy rather than immersing yourself in your work and adhering to a strict daily schedule. Try new activities, restaurants, and adventures to keep your single life interesting. What’s best? By traveling alone or sharing expenses with a companion, you can avoid making compromises with your significant other about how you want to spend your free time.
6. Start a side project
You have the knowledge and expertise necessary to accomplish a goal you’ve had for a while. A passion project is typically something that most people won’t find useful, but you’re working on it because you’re passionate about it. What does it matter if it takes a long time and a lot of work to start your project? You have the power to carry it out. You may not eventually make any money from it, but you will feel more content for having done it.
7. Get new knowledge.
Your sense of self-worth is increased when you learn a new talent. Use your chance to pick up a new skill that you’ve always longed to have. You’ll develop into a more well-rounded person as a result of the process.
8. Maintain Momentum
The propensity to reflect on the past and worry about the future may be the biggest challenge for single people in their 40s. When you are present, there is no time for thinking about your past transgressions or worrying about the future. Ground yourself by engaging in deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and yoga. Take each day as it comes. We wholeheartedly concur with award-winning author Gabby Bernstein’s assertion that “stillness is the secret to success!”
9. Enjoy dating without placing too many demands on it
You’re usually less concerned about the future when you’re in your 40s. If you wait until you’re younger, you could feel more pressure to date. Thoughts of the future, such as getting married and establishing a family, contribute to some of that strain. Yet, by the time you reach your forties, you are aware of who you are and what you want, and you can appreciate dating simply for the experience.
