Single? You are most definitely not alone. Singletons now outnumber married people in all age brackets. Admittedly, the stats don’t take into account unmarried partnerships, but the fact remains—people no longer live in panic or feel like failures if they are thirty and unmarried. Or forty. Or fifty. Or sixty. Etc. You get the idea. Single is an option, not a default.

Of course, a meaningful and happy relationship is awesome and for many, the ideal. But not because the alternative is lousy… because it’s not.

Whether you are decidedly single or looking for your ideal match (and not willing to settle for less than great), embrace your single life. Here are some benefits:

Physical fitness.

Singles tend to be more fit than non-singles. Maybe singles have the time to go to the gym or take long hikes, but I like to think that singles focus on their fitness because they understand self-care .

Job satisfaction.

Interesting fact: singles are more fulfilled by their careers/jobs. Again, they look after themselves by devoting time to their own satisfaction, career goals, and finding and maintaining the ideal job. Singles also find it easier to change jobs without disrupting the lives of other people.

Creative outlets.

Singles pursue hobbies and follow their own creative impulses more than doubles! Do they have more time? Are they more in touch with their own needs? For whatever reason, you are likely more fulfilled as a creative soul if you are single.

Support network.

Often, when in a relationship, people lose touch with their support network, relying exclusively on their partner. (This happens more with men than women.) That is a shame, as “it takes a village” no matter how old we are. Singles do this better. They are closer with family and friends and maintain a great support network.

Travel.

Let’s face it, hopping in the car on the spur of the moment is a lot easier when it’s just you. Or jumping all over that airfare deal, packing for one, and heading to the airport… The freedom is profound. Singles just do it. They go where they want and stay for as long as they want.

Flexible scheduling.

Whether it’s reading in the middle of the day

or night, watching your favorite sports on TV, going to bed whenever , waking up whenever, planning alone time, planning social time… You are the boss of your schedule when you are single.

Confidence.

Singles enjoy high self-confidence regarding their abilities to take care of themselves, their households, finances, etc. If you embrace your singleness, you become that sexy, confident person who is so irresistible to the opposite sex. Ironic, eh?

Most important of all, singles understand themselves well. They know their needs and are realistic about where happiness comes from. They know it is an inside game—happiness comes from within and we all (whether we are single or not) make our own. If you embrace your singleness, you will live with clarity. You’ll know what you can expect from someone else, what you need, and what you won’t accept. For you, being single beats being in an unfulfilling or damaging relationship. You don’t want a relationship just to be in a relationship.

When you look for a relationship because you WANT one, not because you NEED one…that’s the key. Take all that you learn by being single—from self-care to spontaneity—with you into your next relationship. You do not have to give that stuff up. Find your fulfillment, contentment, and happiness within yourself and any relationship you enter into will have a leg up. Trust me on that.