At the beginning of this month, Miss G, a bachelor, attended her best friend's wedding as a bridesmaid to her best friend, Ms L. From then on, Miss G was the only single person left unmarried in their group of best friends.
When it came to the most classic bouquet toss part at the wedding, the master of ceremonies (MC) said that the single people in the audience should come up to the stage. Standing in the middle of a group of young faces with their hands raised in joyful anticipation of marriage, Miss G suddenly greatly felt a sense of loneliness coming over her.
Miss L's bouquet was thrown high, and everyone was swarming to grab the bouquet, the baton for the next stop of happiness. Miss G stood at the back of the surging crowd, and she wondered in a daze: How am I supposed to live the rest of my life as a single person when my friends are all married?
In today's society, being single is no longer a marginalised lifestyle, but a state of life that many people choose on their own.
However, despite the fact that single life has many advantages as freedom and independence, many singles still feel the psychological pressure known as "single anxiety".
Research has shown that happiness is not solely related to marital status, and that in modern society, single life is gradually being redefined, no longer in the traditional sense of absence, but as a lifestyle full of possibilities. Psychologists, such as DePaulo in his 2011 study, point out that single people are equally capable of having rich social lives and deep interpersonal relationships, and that they do not need to rely on marriage to gain social engagement and emotional fulfilment.
In fact, the period of being single is considered to be a golden period of personal growth, a view supported by Klinenberg (2012), who found in his study that the group of single adults is growing, and that they demonstrate a high level of resilience and well-being.
Under this background, single people are able to revisit and redefine their happiness. They can achieve personal growth and happiness by cultivating personal interests, building profound friendships, and engaging in community activities. Research by psychologists Idler and Karney (2010) suggests that marriage is not the only predictor of health and well-being, and that single people can achieve a good quality of life through other social relationships and healthy behaviours.
In order to live a fulfilling single life, singles should focus on building a supportive social network, which not only helps them gain emotional support but also enhances social engagement. It is also important to pursue personal growth, whether through learning new skills, travelling or professional development, the being-single period is a valuable time to explore oneself and realise one's potential.
A healthy lifestyle is equally important for maintaining a sense of well-being. Singles should concentrate on eating healthily, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep, while avoiding bad habits such as smoking and excessive drinking. In addition, financial freedom and planning are also important components of single life. Through effective financial planning, singles can achieve financial independence and security, thus building a solid foundation for the future.
Self-acceptance and self-esteem are important psychological characters that singles should develop. DePaulo et al. (2003) showed in their study that self-acceptance is the key to mental health, and an important hurdle for singles to overcome is to learn to appreciate their own value and not to question their choices for the sake of social pressure. Keeping an open mind is equally important for singles who are open to love and partnership, which will help them seize chances when they meet the right person.
To sum up, single life is a choice and a sort of lifestyle. What matters is whether single or married, personal happiness and fulfilment comes from inner peace and self-realisation. So, whether you are married or single, enjoy your life as a journey of self-discovery and growth.
