New love is exciting, and it’s the stuff that fairy tales are made of. But, what about all those single days? Though you enjoy having someone to share your life with, there are plenty of things that you will miss about having some alone time.
Seventeen Things People in Happy Relationships Miss Most About Being Single
A long-term committed relationship comes with some sacrifices that many people overlook. While you love your partner, there are many things you’ll miss about the single life.
Do not feel guilty if you are happy in a relationship but still recall the good times you had when you flew solo. We all evolve in life–entering a new phase does not diminish the fond memories of the old one.
1. Single People Don’t Answer to Anyone
There’s an obligation to cook well-rounded meals when there’s more than just you in the home. While a burger and fries might suit a single person, you want to cook something better as a couple. Eating what you want and where you want is something that many people miss about their single days.
2. Eating Whatever You Want
When you’re part of a couple, you must consider their food likes and dislikes. If they hate pizza, it can mess up your Friday nights. What about taco Tuesday that they’re counting on? It makes things challenging when you don’t even like tacos.
Learning how to cook and eat with each other’s preferences in place can be a challenge. Though new love is exciting, trying to eat something they don’t like can be complicated.
3. A Single Alarm Clock
Gone are the days when only one alarm blared you into the day. If your partner has to get up before you, their alarm clock can be an annoyance that disturbs your sleep. The new love part is exciting, but you wish they wouldn’t need an alarm clock to get up.
4. Having the Bed to Yourself
Is there any better feeling than sleeping alone? You can lay sideways in the bed if you want to, and there’s no one hogging the covers. Having a bed to yourself allows you to get some of the best sleep in your life. When you bring another person into this space, things can get cramped.
5. Being Single Means Only Having One Schedule to Consider
While you and your partner will indeed like similar things, it’s highly doubtful that you will do everything alike. Sometimes they want to watch a game or go to a sports event, and you may not like sports.
When you’re with someone you love, it’s all about give and take. You must give up some of the things you love so that you can spend time doing something they like. If you’re not flexible, it will be challenging for a relationship to work.
6. You Can Stay Out as Late as You Want
You can come and go as you please when you’re not tied to someone else. So you don’t have to answer for that midnight run for a candy bar. Nor do you feel any pangs of guilt if you come home too late. There’s no need to feel guilty about going out with your friends for a drink.
7. Sleeping As Long as You Want When You Were Single
Remember those Saturday mornings when you slept till noon? If your partner is an early bird, they might not appreciate you sleeping in for so long.
Your time is your own when you’re single, and you love that there’s no one to answer to for sleeping too much. You can take an entire day to slumber, and no one cares when you’re by yourself.
8. Traveling Spontaneously
Remember those days when you would hop in your car and let the road take you wherever you wanted to go? Now, you must concern yourself with your partner’s schedule. What if they can’t get time off work? You may feel guilty being spontaneous when they’re stuck at home.
9. Giving Up your Self-Sufficient Independence
There’s a sense of self-sufficiency that comes with being single. Women don’t depend on men to change the lightbulb, fix the sweeper, and do those little things. It’s refreshing when you know you don’t need to depend on anyone else.
On the flip side, a man may like cooking and doing things like sewing on a button. Being by yourself allows you to learn how to care for yourself without depending on anyone, and it’s a beautiful feeling.
10. Your stuff Stays in the Same Location
When you live by yourself, nothing ever gets moved unless you’re the one to move it. However, when someone else is in your space, you might have to hunt for things that have been relocated. One of the best things about flying solo is that you have your system going on, and when you bring in a partner, they mess with the flow of things.
11. Engaging In More Self-Care
When you’re part of a couple, your time alone will decrease. Self-care is nothing you should ever cut back on, but when you’re with someone else, you might take this private time to be with them. If you’re going months without a haircut or struggling to get that pedicure, you must know that it’s vital to have time for yourself.
12. Single People Have the Most Personal Space
There’s not a person alive who doesn’t value personal space. Sometimes you need to be alone and shut the door. When you’re part of a couple, they may feel something is wrong, or you’re upset when you want to be alone. There’s always someone to answer to, which can complicate things.
13. Making Your Own Decisions
New love is fantastic, but sometimes you like how being single makes you more accessible. If there’s a decision about where you will live, work, or if you take that vacation, you don’t need to consider anyone else. Sometimes being with a partner can feel like you’re wings of freedom have been clipped a bit.
14. Not Answering to Anyone About Money
Being single means that you can spend or save as you desire. You don’t have to worry about someone else spending money you wanted to put back, and there’s no need to answer why you must have that $6 gourmet coffee each day. Your finances were yours to do with what you please, and you didn’t need to answer to anyone.
15. Single People Spend Less Time on Daily Hygiene
Shockingly, you will miss those times when you didn’t have to groom as much. Women might especially forget the no-shave winters, as now they must ensure their legs are always touchable and soft.
Men may want to go without shaving their beards, but it might irritate their partner’s face. There’s endless grooming when you’re with a partner, as you want to ensure that you’re not offensive and remain attractive.
16. The Excitement of the Chase
Some folks love dating. The thrill of a first date can be exhilarating. However, you don’t have anything to look forward to when you’re already with someone.
Being chased or pursued by a potential suitor is quite exciting. The flowers, candy, gifts, endless phone calls, and texts are motivating. Consequently, these things sort of end when you settle into a routine.
17. Using Fake Excuses to Get Out of Things
When dating, you could tell the little white lie to get out of things. Conversely, avoiding dreaded activities when they live with you is much more challenging. They know if you’re busy or not, and you certainly can’t make up somewhere to be when you’re with them 24×7.
According to relationship coach Sam Owen, even a little, tiny white lie can devastate your relationship. You must be upfront and honest about everything if you don’t want to return to those single days.
Final Thoughts on Things You Miss About Being Single
While there are certainly some things you will miss about your time alone, there’s so much more to life than being a party of one. Having someone to share your life with is one of the greatest blessings, as you know someone always has your back and is by your side. Think about all those cold nights when there’s no one to snuggle up to.
According to John Hopkins University, there are twelve elements to any good relationship. One of these essential elements is alone time. Just because you’re part of a couple doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t have some time alone. You need that space to regroup sometimes; the right person will understand and give you the necessary space. So enjoy your excellent new relationship, knowing it’s natural to remember those memories fondly from when you were single.
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