The Single Life: Words of Wisdom from Celebrated Minds
We live in a society where coupledom often takes center stage, leaving those who are single feeling like they’re missing out on a crucial life experience. But what if being single is not a stage to rush through, but a unique period worth savoring? Some of history’s most remarkable figures have thought deeply about the experience of being single and have left us with valuable insights that are as relevant today as they were when first penned.
From celebrated authors to philosophers and beyond, the figures we turn to for wisdom have often praised the merits of independence, self-care, and personal freedom—qualities that are more easily nurtured when one is unencumbered by a relationship. Whether you find yourself single by design or by default, the teachings of these notable individuals serve as reminders that a life lived alone can be just as fulfilling, exciting, and meaningful as any other.
In the following article, we’ve gathered an inspiring collection of quotes from some of these well-known personalities. These timeless words serve as affirmations of the richness of single life, nudging us to reevaluate societal norms and urging us to cherish our own company.
So, as we embark on this enlightening journey through the thoughts of some of history’s most revered figures, prepare to rediscover the single life as a realm of unlimited potential.
Quotes About Being Single and Loving It
- “Being single doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re strong enough to wait for what you deserve.” – Unknown
- “You do not need to be loved, not at the cost of yourself.” – Bell Hooks
- “I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude.” – Henry David Thoreau
- “The most exciting, challenging, and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself.” – Carrie Bradshaw
- “You’re not single. You’re simply preoccupied with a love story that’s yet to begin.” – Unknown
- “You do not find the happy life. You make it.” – Camilla Eyring Kimball
- “Don’t be scared to walk alone. Don’t be scared to like it.” – John Mayer
- “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.” – Eden Ahbez
- “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anyone.” – Maya Angelou
- “Single is an opportunity to live life on your own terms and not apologize for it.” – Mandy Hale
- “Discover why you’re important. Then refuse to settle for anyone who doesn’t completely agree.” – Fisher Amelie
- “I am not single. I am in a long-term relationship with fun and freedom.” – Unknown
- “Solitude is the place of purification.” – Martin Buber
- “The most profound relationship we’ll ever have is the one with ourselves.” – Shirley MacLaine
- “If you’re not happy being single, you won’t be happy in a relationship. Get your own life and love it first, then share it.” – Unknown
- “Being single means you’re strong enough to wait for what you deserve.” – Niall Horan
- “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.” – Lester Bangs
- “I think it’s very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person.” – Oscar Wilde
- “When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death—ourselves.” – Eda LeShan
- “I like being single, I’m always there when I need me.” – Art Leo
- “Sometimes you have to stand alone to prove you can still stand.” – Unknown
- “If you really are going to be a happy single, you have to stop treating being single as the annoying time that you pass between relationships and embrace it. Rather than focusing on what you lack, focus on what you have: You.” – Natalie Lue
- “Bad relationships are like a bad investment. No matter how much you put into it you’ll never get anything out of it. Find someone that’s worth investing in.” – Sonya Parker
- “A busy, vibrant, goal-oriented woman is so much more attractive than a woman who waits around for a man to validate her existence.” – Mandy Hale
- “Don’t be a woman that needs a man. Be a woman a man needs.” – Unknown
Quotes About Being Single and Happy
- “Being single is getting over the illusion that there is somebody out there to complete you.” – Omkar Phatak
- “My alone feels so good, I’ll only have you if you’re sweeter than my solitude.” – Warsan Shire
- “Single is no longer a lack of options – but a choice. A choice to refuse to let your life be defined by your relationship status but to live every day Happily and let your Ever After work itself out.” – Mandy Hale
- “Don’t chase people. Be yourself, do your own thing and work hard. The right people will come to you. And stay.” – Will Smith
- “Single is not a status. It is a word that describes a person who is strong enough to live and enjoy life without depending on others.” – Unknown
- “If you aren’t good at loving yourself, you will have a difficult time loving anyone, since you’ll resent the time and energy you give another person that you aren’t even giving to yourself.” – Barbara De Angelis
- “You don’t have to be part of a couple to be happy, you know.” – Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
- “I celebrate myself, and sing myself.” – Walt Whitman
- “It’s far better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone.” – Marilyn Monroe
- “Too many women throw themselves into romance because they’re afraid of being single, then start making compromises and losing their identity. I won’t do that.” – Julie Delpy
- “Solitude is where one discovers one is not alone.” – Marty Rubin
- “Single and ready to get nervous around anyone I find attractive.” – Unknown
- “The more powerful and original a mind, the more it will incline towards the religion of solitude.” – Aldous Huxley
- “Being brave enough to be alone frees you up to invite people into your life because you want them and not because you need them.” – Mandy Hale
- “You are terrifying and strange and beautiful, something not everyone knows how to love.” – Warsan Shire
- “Being single isn’t a time to be looking for love, use that time to work on yourself and grow as an individual.” – Unknown
- “The love you attract in your life is a reflection of the love you have for yourself.” – Deepak Chopra
- “Single life is the best life until you get hit with lonely nights.” – Unknown
- “Be alone. Eat alone, take yourself on dates, sleep alone. In the midst of this, you will learn about yourself. You will grow, you will figure out what inspires you, you will curate your own dreams, your own beliefs, your own stunning clarity.” – Unknown
- “If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of someone else.” – Sahithi Setikam
- “He sleeps fastest who sleeps alone.” – Richard Avedon
- “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.” – Oscar Wilde
- “The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.” – Thales
- “Being single is better than being in a relationship with someone who fills your heart with doubt.” – Unknown