When I was a little girl, I envisioned a storybook of my life. Becoming a successful wife and mother is what many little girls dream of as a child…the white picket-fence, the wedding of our dreams, waving across the street as our oldest goes to play catch with the neighbor’s kids.
From children to teenagers—even growing into the adults that we are now—we are constantly forming storybooks in our minds about what we believe our lives should look like. Always trying to plan for a future, but what about the now? Social media is a constant showcase of highlights of our peers and family around us living the storybook dream that we envisioned as children. Why not start focusing on how we can use our gifts that are placed in our hands now, rather than focusing on everyone around us and living for a future that may or may not come?
What about how my life actually looks like at 27 years old, compared to that storybook I envisioned as a child? I am a very successful business woman, single (not married, but happily taken), no children, and certainly no white picket-fence.
The difference in what I envisioned, and where I am today, is that I am not upset about my single lifestyle. I do not let social media lead me to depress myself in the “why not me?” Instead I am very grateful for my singleness, and I look at my singleness as a gift. And I hope other singles do too. Especially since more Americans are single than ever before.
What does all this mean? How can one see and use their singleness as a gift? I am traveling as much as I can, because I can. I am volunteering most of my time in my community, helping, loving and supporting others in need, because I can. And, I am willing and able to focus on staying financially and physically fit, saving as much money as I can, because I can.
Using my singleness as a gift to do good, be good, and make good in my life and my community is something that I am very grateful for currently in my life. Let’s not let social and other media rob us of the joy and gifts that are provided to us now. Let’s use this gift of singleness while we can, because we can.