Apparently, 2022 is the Year of Being Consciously Single

According to new research by popular dating app Bumble, the pandemic has made almost half of Bumble users (47%) understand that it’s okay to be alone for a while. 

At first, it was a stressful thought; being alone and having to stay inside for the foreseeable future. But then, we got used to it and actually started to enjoy ourselves.

I know that I, for one, forgot just how much I love to be alone and how much of a homebody I can be. Being in lockdown reminded me that I love to read books at the park, go on bike rides, learn to cook new things, and actually have real alone time without the stress of constantly lining up social engagements.

“No matter if you had housemates, a bubble buddy, or were able to go on socially-distanced dates, we all spent a lot of time alone in these last 18 months,” Communications Director of Bumble, Lucille McCart, tells POPSUGAR Australia.

“This experience afforded a lot of people, women especially, the time and space to think more deeply about what they want out of a relationship or potential romantic partner.

“It also made us realise that being alone isn’t that bad, and as much as I hope to never experience a lockdown again, I got to know myself in a way that I don’t think I ever would have without going on this (tumultuous) journey.”

Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea of being in a relationship, that we forget to enjoy being single. But being single is the best. A single woman is the most powerful thing going around.

Some of my most independent and fulfilling times were when I was single. You can learn so much about yourself and what you want during time spent alone, and I think it’s super healthy for all of us to be single for a period of time in our lives.

Sexologist Chantelle Otten, agrees.

“Being single can be totally fun and I’m all for safely exploring your fantasies with people you meet who are into the same thing,” Chantelle tells POPSUGAR Australia.

“It can be mysterious, connecting, and exactly what you need to fulfil your whole self. You can explore new people and maybe even reassess what your type is, or even if there is such a thing as a type.”

It’s important to remember that there’s no rush to get into a relationship. We have so much time! For me, as a woman, I feel like it’s even more important for us to spend time being single, so we can separate ourselves from societal expectations and learn just how much power we have.

“I think, as a society, we have imagined a world that is filled with ideals, and often these ideals are really paralysing and unrealistic,” says Chantelle. “For example, culturally we’re often conditioned to believe that in order to be successful we have to follow a pattern.”

“You grow up, meet a partner, and settle down. As we come to the end of 2021, I think those norms are slowly being broken down, and we are starting to identify that, as a community, each and every one of us has a story and life to live. Our lives will not all run the same path, and that is absolutely okay.

“Being single brings with it independence, opportunity, exploration, self-reflection and more time to work on you, which is all worth celebrating.”

Just in case you needed some more convincing that being single is a totally great place to be, here are Chantelle Otten’s three favourite things about being single.

You Can Be More Mindful About What You Want

Having some time out of a relationship can give us the space to be more mindful and intentional in how, and when, we date.

You Are Totally Self-Sufficient

I love that when you’re single, you are totally responsible for yourself. This is really empowering and important for each of us to enjoy at some point in our lives.

You Are Always in the Driver’s Seat

Being single is like a little gift to ourselves. It forces us to make the first move on what it is that we want from each day, each moment, and each circumstance we are faced with.