5 benefits to being single you probably haven’t even thought of

Some days it can feel like everyone has already found their Netflix and Chill partner except you. And while being single can have its so-called downsides, it can also offer some incredible advantages that we often overlook. No, really — hear us out. As your sift through engagement and baby announcements on your newsfeed, remember these benefits to being single.

You learn what it means to be happy.

In the time you’d spend getting to know a significant other and what makes them tick, you’re investing that time in your own happiness. Single people often times spend more time on self care and exploration, which helps them develop tools to enhance their happiness. In developing this strong relationship with oneself, singles who take this time to be happy on their own tend to have stronger relationships if they decide to couple up.

You may actually be healthier, physically.

Studies show that singles exercise more frequently than couples and they are less likely to gain weight quickly. This is in part due to having more time to yourself and partly thanks to that happy relationship you’re in with yourself. Aside from your physical health, your mental health also has the space to strengthen because there’s more opportunity for alone time — allowing yourself to decompress.

Your healthy routine is more likely to stick should find yourself in a relationship because it’s already an important part of your life.

Travel, late nights dance parties, a new job, moving to a new city on a whim — those decisions are yours alone.

Basically, being single allows you to be selfish with your time. If you wake up one morning and decide to plan a trip to South Africa or decide to dance at a club until the wee hours, the only schedule to consult is your own.

You’re tough.

Being single makes you more resilient. Not having another person to fall back on, outside of family and friends (which even those couples have), help you develop a thicker skin to life’s stresses and troubles. As you develop the capacity to be alone, you also develop the ability to cope on your own.

Single people are everyone’s friend.

Couples tend to be less social because they’re spending time with each other. And yet, couples allegedly enjoy spending their social time in areas where singles flock, citing that singles are more fun. Similarly, singles are more inclined to invest time in their friendships. Time alone teaches you how to connect and become more attentive to others, making you the best friend anyone can have.