It’s considered normal for everyone to find a long-term relationship eventually. There’s even some negative social stigma against those who never couple up. Singles may be viewed (unfairly) as loners or as those with sad, unfulfilling lives. But if that were true, why do so many mature people actively choose singlehood?
The truth is that there are many benefits to being single. It’s just like there are many benefits to being in a relationship! The only difference is which benefits a person values more. Someone who wants to put themselves and their growth first may prefer to remain unattached. Here are four reasons why mature people prefer to stay single.
1. Fewer Commitments Mean More Freedom
There’s nothing wrong with being committed to someone. But at specific points in their lives, some mature individuals desire freedom over that sort of responsibility. They recognize that there are many things they want to do that would become more burdensome if commitments are present.
As such, these individuals know the more responsible thing to do is to focus on enjoying that freedom until they’re ready. This freedom can include:
· Time
In a relationship, you spend lots of time with your partner. Hours a week are spent texting, hanging out, dating, and doing various things with them. It’s great to devote some of your time to a partner. And you can (and should) carve out me-time just for yourself, even in a long-term and very committed relationship. But mature individuals who want more time to spend will appreciate that being single affords this effortlessly. They’re not constrained by the responsibilities of making time for a partner. This allows them to do more things for themselves, their family, friends, and hobbies. Their schedule is entirely their own to dictate.
· Compromises and Lack Thereof
A relationship only really thrives with regular compromise from those within it. This applies to serious things most of the time, but it also applies to random, casual, and fun events. You have to take turns to decide who picks movies, which can be a bummer if you have different tastes. You need to go rock-paper-scissors on where you eat – if you can choose where to eat! It would help if you considered your partner’s opinions for many things when you commit to another person. Mature individuals who choose to stay single appreciate that they don’t need to compromise to keep everything peaceful.
· Travel
Traveling with a partner is possible, but it can be more complicated. You have double the concerns about taking leave, collecting travel documents, and financial needs during that trip. And while you can travel alone despite being in a relationship, you’ll miss your partner while you’re gone! Plus, being single allows you to be more spontaneous. When in a relationship, it’s reasonable to include your partner in planning discussions. As a singleton, you can travel with no hesitation and on a whim.
Remember that this does not suggest that committed relationships are constraining or imprisoning. It merely means that at different points in life, other people want different levels of responsibilities!
2. There’s More Room To Grow
Life is all about learning and growing as you go. Mature people tend to cherish that much about building experiences and collecting knowledge. For the sake of their continual improvement, they may decide that remaining single is the best option.
This doesn’t mean that committed relationships stifle growth. But, just like having more freedom as a singleton, you can’t deny that you have more opportunities when you’re unattached. This is something that mature people may find attractive concept. Here are some areas where there’s more room for growth when you’re single.
· Growth Between Events
A lot of people experience something called repetition compulsion. This compulsion indicates that individuals tend to rush into situations where they’ll repeat their past mistakes without thinking. Research shows us that it’s widespread in relationships. This is why rebound relationships often have the same toxic patterns as the previous partnership did. Mature people may prefer to remain single to process previous events from a failed relationship properly. They may want to grow, improve, and dig at the roots of past pain before they feel ready to move forward. For some, this may include an understanding that they strongly prefer to remain single long-term.
· Career Focus
Having a relationship while working means you must juggle your personal and professional life well. It’s perfectly respectable that many individuals like or are satisfied with this balancing act. But it’s also reasonable for mature people to appreciate the opposite more! The ability to dedicate yourself to a career entirely is something that those in long-term relationships can’t always do. A mature individual may want to focus solely on their job before seeking a relationship.
· Resilience
Resilience, or the ability to bounce back from traumatic or adverse events, is a highly positive trait. It’s crucial for surviving the ups and downs of existence, and studies show that singletons have more of it! It makes sense, then, that someone of a mature age may still want to stay uncommitted. It allows them to develop this skill to bring their best self forward.
· Self-Sufficiency
You get used to having someone always around or with you in a relationship. You have someone to rely on constantly; honestly, that’s beautiful! On the flip side, though, not everyone wants that kind of reliance, even if they recognize its merits. There’s a lot of power in being fully self-sufficient. You can learn to be autonomous in a relationship, but developing that skill is much easier when you’re single. Studies have shown that those who choose to stay single above the age of forty can develop better self-sufficiency. This attitude affords them improved positive thinking and life satisfaction.
3. They Are Generally Healthier
Science has shown us time and time again that being married is often correlated with worse health. This outcome is especially true for women but applies to any gender. A mature person who wants to be their healthiest self may prefer a single life. Some parts of life are healthier when you’re unattached, backed by research.
· Physical Activity
Exercise is essential for overall health; you’re more likely to get it if you’re single. Married individuals get the slightest physical activity overall, and those who have never been married get the most of it. According to research, this also says that divorced people are more active than married ones to boot. This may be because they have more time and energy to exercise. Regardless, mature people may see this as an excellent reason to stay unattached!
· Healthy Weight
When you’re single, you ironically often put more effort into your appearance and health. You constantly strive to be your best self; mature individuals can like that about being uncommitted. Studies show that married adults are significantly more likely to have a too-high Body Mass Index or BMI. This extra weight means they have a higher risk of being overweight or obese. An unhealthy weight can decrease positive thinking, disease risk, and other health problems.
· Stress Management
Anyone can experience stress, whether single or in a relationship. But being single often comes with fewer stressors than a relationship does. You won’t need to worry about a commitment and your responsibility to it. You won’t have to learn to manage conflict with someone unique in such close quarters. And you won’t need to navigate the other person’s stressors, too! It’s easy to see why some mature individuals consider relationships a significant source of stress and prefer to remain single. They may find that they can manage stress in much more positive ways to focus on themselves alone.
· Financial Health
Being single means only having to pay for yourself. You don’t need to spend money on a partner, suitable houses or vehicles for couples, or potential children. You can split the money with a partner to pay bills, but you also have more. Mature individuals who want to focus on saving money may therefore prefer a single life. Debt.org’s research shows that singletons are less likely to incur serious credit card debt!
4. They Have Better Other Relationships
When you’re in a long-term, committed romantic relationship, it takes precedence over others. Or, at the very least, it’s on equal terms with your other meaningful relationships. Mature people who value their non-romantic bonds may not want to compromise by adding a romantic one to their list. Here are some scientific ways that being single can help in this regard:
· Acts Of Compassion
When you’re single, you’re more likely to extend help and aid to the people around you, says research. Some even believe that singletons are the social glue of many groups! Mature people who want to be of better aid to their community may enjoy being single for this reason.
· Diversity
People don’t consciously choose their friends for their differences or similarities. Still, studies say that when you’re in a relationship, you’re less likely to explore and make friends from different backgrounds. You don’t have as much time to enter new spaces and try novel things, so your friends are all quite similar. Maturity often means people who want a wider circle of more diverse friends will like that singlehood makes that occurrence more natural!
· Attentiveness
Even in healthy relationships, you still aren’t going to be as attentive toward family and friends. That’s understandable and fine, but it may not be the preference for some mature people! Research shows that being single means you can focus much more on your friendships, creating better bonds overall. That same study indicates that you’ll also be more willing to focus on maintaining those connections.
Final Thoughts On Some Reasons Why Mature People Prefer To Remain Single
Staying single can be the perfect option for many mature individuals! You shouldn’t feel pressured to enter a relationship because that’s the social norm. It’s up to you what you do with your life and what direction you want it to take. If the benefits of being a single appeal to you much more than a relationship could, your preference is perfectly valid!
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