Single is the New Black: Why Bad Dates, Bad Relationships, and Being Alone are Necessary

It’s been a weird week of awkward dates, uncomfortable conversations, and just some straight up crazy situations. Frankly, I’m spent. So let’s cut to the chase of this post: I’m single. It’s not something I wish to be the rest of my life, but the process of finding someone to not be single with can be quite hilarious if you know how to be proactive about meeting people and enjoying life.

As a single, working 26 year old girl, I am committed to not taking the good things in life for granted. My bills get paid. I have a roof over my head. I’ve got family, some friends, and I’m relatively healthy. Of course, my attitude is not always this positive about being single.
It’s a treacherous cycle of meeting someone, getting excited about the possibilities, beginning to fall for them, and then getting disappointed or hurt. Sure, lots of these cases of hurt and disappointment stem down to my date and I not connecting on important values that I will not waver on—my conservative qualities do tend to limit the dating pool. So inevitably, I am set up to fail, over and over again, at dating.

But you know what I’ve realized? That’s okay. Bad dates and failed relationships are absolutely necessary. If I always had good dates, what would make me move on? Nothing. I’d end up marrying my date if nothing ever went wrong, right? Dates have to keep going wrong because there’s only one guy that it has to go right with. That’s all. I just need one good date! I’m beginning to think that God sabotages my dates because it’s like, “Nah….you can enjoy this experience, but at the end of tonight I’m going to have this guy show you his nipple when you try to have a serious conversation with him so that you realize I’ve got something better waiting for you on down the line.” Well played, God. Well played.

Like I said, it’s been a weird week.

Furthermore, if I never experienced loneliness, I may never properly appreciate having someone who is there for me. So I’ll just bide my time while God guides me through all these terrible dates and occasional spells of loneliness; I’ll happily accumulate the funny stories, the dates turned friends, and all lessons learned from broken relationships, because I’m holding out for whoever/whatever it is He has planned for me.

Oh, I’ll also enjoy being alone while it lasts, because right now I don’t have anyone telling me to shut up when I wake up at 5am and jam out in my kitchen.

Bio:

Bailey is a nurse, and a sort of adult child. She dabbles in writing, music, and making youtube videos. You can find her blog at baileyconnell.com, her videos at youtube.com/baileyconnell, and on Twitter as @bailofrights.