There comes a time in life when you’re expected to be in a serious relationship or dating with the aim of landing a life partner. The result, according to Psychology Today, is that our romantic relationships leave us mentally, emotionally and physically drained. The answer, says clinical psychologist Dr Mpho Sepato, could be to step back and become the very thing that many of us fear — single.
“It’s about time we recognise that being single is also an act of self-love,” Dr Sepato says. “This is especially true if you know who you are and what your life goals are. In fact, you could find that being in a romantic relationship is a distraction. Single people tend to make the right decisions for their lives, because they don’t have to account to another person or experience some of the conflict that comes with being coupled up,” she says, adding that being intentional about your singlehood can make you more productive and efficient, more so if you already know your purpose and what impact you want to have.
This is not to say we should be dismissive of romances, Dr Sepato says, only noting that relationships, by nature, are shared spaces.
