Your late 20s is admittedly a hard time to be single. You have your family members asking you about your relationship status almost every single time you see them, and if you're extra lucky, you have your mom reminding you about your biological clock.
Add that to having the majority of your friends getting married, having babies or getting into new relationships: Sounds like a recipe for disaster. If you're anything like me, maybe you've even had a few full-on meltdowns about "no one ever loving you."
So, I really did my best to find a boyfriend, whether it was right or not. And after my most recent breakup – with the ex I thought could be "the one" – I went through a very slippery phase of "no one is ever going to love me."
Luckily, I had a few good friends and some sobering Bumble and Tinder experiences to slap me right out of that one.
It's tough to not feel that pressure or nagging feeling that you need someone. It's hard when you're always the third wheel on nights out with your friends. This often makes us lose sight of the good things that come with being single.
Yes, there ARE good things: even in your late 20s. It's even tougher to figure out how to get out of the conversations your family insists on having about your love life – especially with all your friends getting married – but there is still good in all of it.
Being single only defines you if you let it. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of "me" time. And time alone often leads to more self-discovery.
You and you alone control your schedule. Being single gives you the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends on your own.
It took me a while to get here. It also took my best friend telling me I'd get here at least 50 times for me to understand it.
But here I am.
Being single does not define me. I have taken the time to find myself in my late 20s. I'm single, and I'm learning new things that have filled my heart in so many ways.
I have met so many new friends along the way. I've also witnessed firsthand the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
People who are in the wrong relationships just because they're worried they'll end up alone will never truly be happy. The more you know about yourself, the better your partner will be.
You have to find yourself and know where you want to be before the right thing falls into place.
The best way to love someone is to always love yourself first. So, instead of asking yourself why nobody loves you, start asking yourself, "What am I going to learn next?"
A lot.
