Repost: Unhappily Single During the Holidays

Originally posted on Ms. Nix in the Mix

I happen to love Christmas. I mean it’s the most wonderful time of the year, well according to Andy Williams at least. I love the music [This Christmas by the Donny Hathaway NEVER gets old], I love being with my family [it’s always a joy to watch my nieces full of excitement as they open their presents from Santa], and most importantly, I LOVE having me time [time off from work and school…sleeping in…I love it!]. However for a lot of singles, being alone/without a significant other is a HUGE sore spot during the holiday season. Although it would be nice to have someone, please note that it’s not the end of the world if you’re single. So during this holiday season, I encourage you to embrace your singleness and wear it with pride. Here are some tips that I hope will help you this holiday season.

1. Don’t be a Scrooge

Yes, you’re single. We get it and guess what? It’s okay! So, please spare everyone in your circle and on social networks by refraining from making negative comments about being alone this holiday season. It’s not worth it.

2. Self love is the best love

They say self love is the best love, so take this time to love on you. Get a manicure, pedicure, professional massage [I love Massage Envy], a new toy or gadget, travel…Whatever you do, do something that you love or consider trying something new. Groupon and LivingSocial are GREAT resources. Also, think of all of the money you’ll be saving by not having to add someone else to your gift list…Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

3. Stay active

I happen to love alone time, but alone time might not be the best therapy if you’re unhappily single. So, get out of the house and stay active this holiday season. Meetup.com is a great tool to find activities for singles in your area. You can even take it a step further and start your own meetup group. Giving back is also a great way to boost your spirits. So consider volunteering to help those who are less fortunate.

4. The art of contentment

I know a lot of times, myself included, we can focus on what we are lacking, but I challenge all of you to reshape your thinking and be thankful for what you’ve got. If you still have breath in your body, you, my friend, are BLESSED. So take the time to appreciate the many blessings that already exist in your life.

5. Are you really ready?

In a lot of cases, we are single because it is not our time, we haven’t put ourselves in the position to give or receive love, and/or we aren’t prepared to take on the responsibility of a relationship. So ask yourself, “Am I really ready?” If the man/woman of your dreams came into your life at this very moment, would you be prepared and more importantly, would they want you at this stage in your life?

Now might be a very good time to re-evaluate you from a wholelistic [yes I said wholelistic (new word) and not holistic] perspective. If you’re not happy with you, how can you possibly be happy with someone else? Also, relationships require work and if you haven’t put in an earnest effort to find someone, then perhaps you’re not ready. So, don’t rush it. Take your time. Do it right!

And that’s my five cents!

Sincerely,

Miss Marie

The NON-expert Dater

What is some advice that you’d give to those who are unhappily single during the holidays?
Singles, what are some things that you’ve done to keep your spirits lifted during the holiday season?

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