by Julie A. Wein

Created on: May 28, 2009

While being in a relationship is wonderful, there is something to be said for being single too. When you're single you enjoy a kind of freedom you will never be able to have in a relationship, no matter how open that relationship is. Here are the top 10 reasons why being single can be great.

1. You are free to be spontaneous because you're not bound by someone else's schedule and their comings and goings. If you want to head out to the beach for the weekend, there's no one to stop you. If you want to spend a weekend hiking, camping, or exploring a town you've never been to before, you have the freedom to just pick up and go at a moment's notice.

2. You don't need to spend time getting all dolled up, unless of course you want to. Since you're not trying to impress anyone, you can run errands in your old sweat suit and beat up tennis shoes. You can veg out on the couch in your favorite pajamas. No one will care if you don't feel like putting on make-up one day.

3. When Valentine's Day rolls around, there's no need to spend money on a card and a gift; unless of course, you'd like to treat yourself. Heck, you don't even have to remember Valentine's Day if you don't want to. It can be a day like any other day of the year.

4. No sitting through movies your significant other wants to see that you find long and boring and have no interest in. You don't have to fake interest in things that don't interest you.

5. No need to have to remember and find ways to celebrate an anniversary.

6. You don't have someone's obnoxious family to put up with, other than your own.

7. No fighting with a significant other about everything from money to household chores to who's turn it is to walk the dog.

8. You have no one to please but yourself. You do what you want, when you want, where you want, with whomever you want.

9. If you're interested in casual dating, you're not tied down to one person. You can play the field and have fun.

10. Being single means you only have one set of problems to deal with, and that's your own.

Not everyone is even happy being in a relationship. Some people are just free spirits and do not want, nor should they try, to be tied down to one person. You get to know yourself a lot better as a single person than you do if you have a significant other in your life. You have your independance and freedom, and to some people, this is reason enough to stay single.

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