Being single does not necessarily mean there is something wrong with you. Instead, single life gives people more freedom and independence to pursue their interests, passions and the work they care about most.
You develop a greater sense of autonomy and may experience personal growth. You answer to no one or consult someone before making important decisions.
You get what you want, go where you want and get to bed when you want. You also have more control over your time and therefore have more time to better yourself.
You may have less drama, and you do not have to be constantly judged or scrutinised over your actions or differences in opinion.
It is significant to note that some successful and high-achieving women are single because singlehood gives them the opportunity to fully develop and utilise their talents and abilities.
Single adults may also have greater control over their finances and greater freedom to make decisions about their lives.
For some people, living single is a fulfilling choice that allows them to live their best, most authentic and meaningful lives. Independence can be both attractive and gratifying.
A single person does not have to tolerate another person’s habits for life. He or she can therefore stabilise his or her emotions without constantly having to act to impress a partner.
Some also argue that we can get some of the benefits of marriage without actually marrying. For example, some studies suggest that singles may have more frequent sexual activity than married people.
So why buy a cow and worry about its maintenance if you can get free milk?
Some argue that single women are healthier. For example, a study published in the Journal of Women’s Health in 2017 found differences in health indicators between single and married women, including BMI and waist size.
Again, a study involving 11,000 Canadians and 33,000 Italians in their 70s found differences in health outcomes between single and married people.
The bad of single life
Single life has its loneliness. Research shows that women cope with single life better than men because they fill their time with social activities.
Men may be lonelier and less appreciative of the freedom that single life brings, even when studies show that men are more reluctant to marry and more likely to leave marriages than women.
We always have drawbacks when we do not have someone special to share the things of life with. The thought that someone loves you and will give you companionship, support, peace and joy is motivating.
Single life can also be more expensive because one person has to bear all the costs.
The lack of lifetime commitment, stability, unity and trust may make some singles more self-centred, and this can affect parenting and social relationships.
In the past, singles in Ghana were often stigmatised, pitied and stereotyped. Today, however, this appears to be changing. Single life appears to be replacing marriage as more adults remain single and fewer people marry.
The phenomenon is global and stretches across social status—from the poor to the rich, the educated and uneducated, and the skilled and unskilled. Global research indicates that the proportion of people living single lives has increased significantly over the last 30 years.
It is also known, for example, that more than half of American women are single. There are more singles in the USA than ever before.
Today, about 63 per cent of American adults have never been married, while only about 45 per cent are married, compared with 72 per cent in 1960. About 53 per cent of the 110.6 million singles are women.
Do you want single life?
Marriage is a popular choice for most Ghanaian adults because it has physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual benefits.
Married life can be happier and more fulfilling than single life if both partners work together.
Two are always better than one because they have a better reward for their labour. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. Marriage can give you true love, peace and joy if you work for it.
Today, however, more and more people are living single lives. With technology and other social benefits, there has never been a better time to be single, and living alone is becoming more popular. A Canadian Press report noted that one-person households are becoming increasingly common in the USA and Canada.
In 2017, a survey showed that 55 per cent of Americans expressed the belief that getting married is not an important milestone in leading a happy adult life.
More and more people now argue that marriage is not an important part of adulthood, but rather what you have and what you can do.
For some, marriage is not an important index for building self-esteem, achieving better health or gaining social status.
Demographically, singles are more powerful than before, and living alone is becoming more acceptable and, in some places, fashionable.
“A busy, vibrant, goal-oriented woman is much more attractive than a woman who waits around for a man to validate her existence.” — Handy Hale.
“Single is no longer a lack of options, but a choice. A choice not to let your life be defined by your relationship status, but to live every day happily.” — Handy Hale
“Single is not a status. It is a word that describes a person who is strong enough to enjoy life without depending on others.” — Unknown.
Your happiness, inner peace and fulfilment do not depend on whether you are single or married, but on yourself.
Back to the question: Do you want single life?
If you decide to lead a single life, let it be a voluntary choice to serve humanity and live a meaningful life, but not a forced situation that makes you look at marriage with resentment.
If you decide to live a married or single life, the choice is yours. But always remember that you are the product of the choices you make in life.
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