It’s that time of the season where we gather around the table and count our blessings. We tell our family and friends how thankful we are for them and how their presence makes our lives just a bit better. Well this year I’m thankful to have one less person on that list.
Now just for clarification, I have always been single, but I never really enjoyed that aspect of my life. Until recently, I was always fixated on the idea that, as a person, I just wasn’t complete until I was in a relationship. However, within the last few months, my outlook on being single has changed with the simple adjustment of my perception.
You see, I was obsessed with taking care of someone else and having that someone take care of me. The notion I could cater to myself first was never the first option, but somewhere along the line this past summer, something just clicked.
Instead of being another person’s special someone, I could be my own. Instead of trying to plan a weekend adventure with other people, I could explore the city myself. Instead of tending to someone else’s problems, I could solely address mine.
I hadn’t realized that I was so out of touch with myself until I had changed my perception of the single lifestyle. There were so many aspects of who I was as a woman, a student, a daughter, a friend, and generally as a human being that I had never acknowledged before, until I decided to shift the focus on myself.
I think making the time to understand yourself and to better yourself is often overlooked. I think because we are our own worst critics, we consciously choose not to focus on our needs first. But had I not changed my perspective about my single life, and myself, I wouldn’t be as happy with who I am now.
I wouldn’t have been able to address my issues with anxiety or what I think is the best career path for me. I wouldn’t have been able understand what exactly was making me feel out of whack one day, or acknowledge the fact that an hour of yoga would be so much better for me than watching YouTube videos.
I wouldn’t have been able to love myself as much as I do now, and with that, this year I am thankful to be single.
Reach contributing writer Sarah Anderson at development@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @sanderson794
