Source: The Conversation – Canada
Society has long emphasized that romantic relationships are the key to leading a fulfilling life. Being partnered is often presented as a milestone to pursue, while being single can be framed as something to move beyond.
But that script is changing. Many young adults are delaying romantic relationships or choosing to remain single instead. Others are having challenges dating and struggling with their singlehood. For some, singlehood is a deliberate choice; for others, it is a circumstance they are still learning to navigate.
This raises an important question: How can people make the most of singlehood, regardless of whether they chose it?
Our recently published research in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, based on three studies of singledom, suggests that the way people think about being single may play a role.
We found that single people who believe singlehood offers them personal growth opportunities are more likely to try new things, feel more positively about being single and enjoy life generally.
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Singlehood is increasingly common
Choosing singlehood has become increasingly popular in recent years. In the United States, one analysis has estimated that about one in four young adults will remain single long-term.
Among the growing number of single people, more than half are not looking for a romantic relationship. These individuals tend to prioritize personal goals, like career or educational advancement, over pursuing a romantic relationship.
Of course, plenty of single people still want a relationship. Some people are struggling with low dating confidence, finances and bad dating experiences.
Online dating has also become the most common way of meeting potential partners. But dating apps can come with their own challenges, including feelings of burnout. Stepping away from dating may be less of a choice and more of a necessity.
Read more:
Why in-person dating is making a comeback — and why Gen Z is struggling with it
We wanted to understand how people could make use of their singlehood for personal growth, regardless of whether they were single by choice or hoping to find a partner.
Your mindset matters
The way people interpret their circumstances can shape what they gain from their experiences. The way people view singlehood can meaningfully influence what they take away from their time being single.
We refer to this as “singlehood self-expansion potential”: the belief that singlehood offers oneself the opportunity to engage in personal growth.
To examine this, we conducted three studies. In the first two, we followed 276 single adults between the ages of 17 and 49. Participants reported how strongly they believed that singlehood offered opportunities for personal growth. We then tracked their experiences either daily for two weeks or weekly for six weeks.
We found that single people who saw greater potential for personal growth in their singlehood were more likely to seek new and exciting experiences. They also tended to feel more satisfied with being single, feel less anxious about their relationship status, and report greater life satisfaction and psychological well-being.
In our third study, we tested a small intervention involving 324 people ranging in age from 18 to 76. We asked single participants to imagine novel and exciting activities they could pursue in the future because they were single.
Compared with people who imagined novel and routine activities, those who imagined novel possibilities were more likely to experience momentary boosts in self-expansion and positive mood. Even imagining the possibilities of singlehood may be a stepping stone to embracing singlehood.
Growth doesn’t have to happen alone
Self-expanding experiences don’t have to be expensive, elaborate or time-consuming. In our studies, physical activities such as going on a hike, as well as social events such as going clubbing for a friend’s birthday, were among the most common activities participants identified as opportunities for self-expansion.
The key ingredient is that these activities should be something novel that expands your perspectives and experiences.
It may be daunting to step out of your comfort zone to try something new. About 80 per cent of the self-expanding activities reported by participants were completed with friends or family. These close relationships may be the encouragement young adults need to put themselves out there and embrace singlehood.
The remaining 20 per cent of activities were completed alone. Self-expansion in solitude can offer many of the same benefits as self-expansion with others, and may be uniquely beneficial for certain activities, like reading or when people deliberately choose to spend time alone.
Being single, in other words, does not have to mean being isolated. Friends and family can be important companions in exploring new opportunities, while time alone can offer its own chances for discovery.
Make singlehood an active period
People can be single for many reasons. Maybe you recently experienced a break-up, are having a hard time finding the right partner or maybe you are choosing to stay single. Your relationship status can also change over time.
Whatever the reason, you can harness the time you spend single to learn more about yourself and the world around you.
Try something you’ve always wanted to do. Take a class, visit somewhere unfamiliar, join a new group, pick up a sport or reconnect with friends. You might discover a new interest, develop confidence or simply encounter people and perspectives you would not otherwise have experienced.
And if you’re hoping to find a partner, these experiences do not have to be a distraction from that goal. They can be worthwhile in their own right.
Singlehood does not have to be an idle period between romantic relationships. Instead, viewing it as an opportunity for self-expansion can help you make the most of where you are now, rather than treating your current relationship status as a placeholder for the life you really want.
Elina Moreno received funding from Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP).
Yuthika Girme receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/08/25/singlehood-can-be-an-opportunity-for-personal-growth-if-you-see-it-that-way/