23 Things I Love About Being Single (in GIFs)

There are some things that really suck about being single. But then there are some awesome benefits of flying solo. When I start thinking about how annoying it is to go on bad date after bad date, wishing for my single days to end already and wondering where the hell is this guy I’m apparently going to end up with… I remember all of the reasons I actually love being single.

Here are just a few… (add your own in the comments!)…

1- Peanut butter and popcorn for dinner? Occasional glass(es) of wine with hummus, carrots and a hard-boiled eggs because I just want it instead of cooking? Grub from the food truck late at night? Ain’t nobody that’ll be laying next to me… so…

2- Having long conversations with my dog about dating, the weather, my job, my friends, whether or not I should go running and where we should spend Saturday walking around. Lucy gets it. I don’t have to censor myself to appear… cool. (And ahem, not a crazy dog lady.)

3- If I want to get up at 6 a.m. and go running, I do (and I’m not exhausted because someone kept me awake). If I want to stay out until 2 a.m. with my friends, I don’t have to check-in. If I want to come home from work, put on an oversized t-shirt and have a dance party all by my bad self, I can. And do!

4- Shaving my legs? Always 100 percent, completely, totally optional.

5- Saving up to go on vacation? Or for a new bag? Or just because I want to have some cash aside for whatever I want to do with it? No splitting rent or groceries. No worrying about a joint future – only have to think about which stamp on my passport I’ll get next.

6- When an attractive guy walks by – not only do I look – but I sometimes even smile. Possibly flirt. No holding back. No feeling guilty. No anything – just an open heart and a potential date!

7- Spending a lazy Saturday with your best friend playing on Tinder or Hinge, followed by meeting new friends – and guys – when I’m out later. And dancing the night away, not worrying about wedding plans, babies, family reunions, BBQs… or anything at all. Except maybe which lipstick I’ll try…

8- No bra on past 8 p.m. on the weeknight rule? No problem.

9- Not having to manage time in between a boyfriend and my friends. Girl time or me time.. all the time!

10- Having really terrible dates… and telling the stories later… only to realize everyone has really terrible dates… and then the endless laughter that ensues…(and the wine).

11- My bed? All mine. Allllllll of it.

12- And the closet.

13- My Netflix/HBO Go consumption can consist of… back-to-back episodes of Law & Order SVU, followed by Sex & the City, then some GIRLS, then some Grey’s Anatomy…

14- Taking as long as I damn well please without anyone rushing me.

15- Belting out Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Spice Girls, Savage Garden… or basically anything from that era… in the shower or in my room, with no one to ask me to change the Spotify channel..

16- In the middle of football season, spending my Sundays and Mondays not watching football. And instead, having wine night at my favorite bar with my taken friends who are escaping football season from their boyfriends or husbands…

17- Obsessing – and admitting – the most ridiculous things when I have a slightly unhealthy crush on someone. (Or many someones, sometimes.) And then getting over it .05 seconds later…

18- That feeling in the pit of my stomach every once in a blue moon, after I have a really, really, incredible first date.

19– …and that feeling after a truly great first kiss.

20- Knowing that the next big love of my life could be right around the corner…

21- But until then, I’m doing just fine on my own. And frankly, I’m kind of rockin’ it.

22- And realizing that even when I do find the right guy, he won’t care about my crazy single behavior… (and he might even be just as silly as me).

23- …except for the not-shaving-my-legs thing. He’ll probably hate that. Whatever.