Go panda points: why you should actually be happy if you've been single for a very long time

It's nice and quiet in your bed. And in your heart. And it has been for ages.

No dates, no tension, no apps, no flirts: you are more single than ever. And you are fine with it. Around you, one after another babies, houses or engagement rings. Then that friend has had another exciting night and then the other friend has her nth anniversary of being in a relationship. And you are solo. Super solo.

You are you

But that's perfectly fine. Because: singles are often more self-confident people, research shows. How come? You are not dependent on others for your own happiness. You know your worth and only look for someone who fits perfectly with that. With a bit of a ‘meh’-man you don't even try, no way.

And because you know you can handle everything just fine on your own in life, you stand firm in your shoes. Chin up, chest out, that idea. And so it also applies: the longer you are single, the more self-confident you become. In your career for example, because you little Miss Independent can handle the world on your own. You go for your goals and you don't let yourself be distracted. Moreover, you develop better as a person when you are single than when you have been sitting on the couch with the same guy for years. You can be more yourself and only choose everything that you find important. You spend your time only on things that make you happy. That truly makes you who you are and not what someone else wants you to be.

According to American psychologists, singles are also happier in these areas than people in a relationship, because:

– A single is more independent

– A single often does more meaningful work

– A single has a better relationship with their parents, brothers, and/or sisters

So, solo players, keep it up. Because eventually, you will bump into that one who changes everything. Just have faith in that. And until then, you can lie diagonally in your double bed and wrap yourself completely in your blanket. Just wait, you will miss that someday.

FACTS

• Half of all Dutch people will be single in the year 2050, it is predicted
• In Utrecht, Nijmegen, and Amsterdam live the most singles
  On average, we move in together for the first time when we are 23