8 Tips to Feeling Happily Single at All Ages

Whether you’ve just gone through a break up and are newly single, or are just feeling frustrated by the fact that you’re STILL single, flying solo doesn’t have to equal unhappiness.

Check out these tips to shift this chapter of single-hood into being one of the happiest times of your life:

1. Be OK with where you’re at right now

Many single people spend a lot of their time looking for a partner. While there’s nothing wrong with getting back out there and dating, being able to enjoy where you are at right now in your life can also go a long way toward your happiness. Take advantage of this time; you never know how long it will last.

One of the simplest ways to stay present, boost your happiness, and appreciate your life right now is to cultivate a practice of gratitude. On a daily basis, write down the people and things you’re thankful for that day.

Don’t just stop there — immerse yourself in all the fantastic details of the people and things you are thankful for. What is it specifically that makes you appreciate that person or thing? Go deep with this, and have fun with it!

2. Get to know yourself on a deep level

Many people have a tendency to lose themselves in relationships. They start doing everything their partner does, or they change themselves in order for their partner to like them. Now is your chance to truly get to know yourself — the real you.

Explore your mind. Go to therapy, meditate, unearth the negative thoughts you have about yourself and create new ones. Follow your curiosities — take a dance class, go to that writing workshop, read about astronomy, join that choir, go back to school or start that business you’ve been dreaming of the past five years.

Lose yourself in your passions and find your FLOW. Let your creative self explore, expand, and flourish. Volunteer and help others. Find what makes you angry or sad and go do something about it.

3. Fall in love with yourself FIRST

Our relationship with ourselves is the most important relationship we’ll ever have, so why not make it the best one you’ve got? Treat yourself as you would treat your partner, or how you would want your partner to treat you. You have a lot of love to give, and it’s time to turn that love inward.

Cultivate more self-compassion. This is a beautiful practice that can help you no matter where you’re at with your self-love. My own practice of self-compassion has completely changed the way I view myself and others. I have less shame, more self-acceptance, and a ton more compassion for others in my life.

Cultivate more body love/acceptance. Spend time with your body and find ways to appreciate it. Create rituals for yourself around taking care of your body, whether that is through eating foods that make you feel nourished, moving your body in ways that make you feel vibrant, or nurturing your body with bodywork.

One of my favorite things to do to appreciate my body is spending several minutes putting on my favorite body lotion, taking time with each part of my body and expressing what I love about each area. It feels really sweet and loving to do for myself.

You can also get in touch with your sensual side by turning yourself on. Buy yourself lingerie, explore your body in sensual ways and find new ways to pleasure yourself.

4. Do WHATEVER you want (and no one can tell you not to!)

You know that thing you like to do that your ex was always annoyed by? Or those things your partnered friends complain about not being able to do anymore now that they are in a relationship? Well you, my dear, get to do whatever you want with no one else getting on your case about it!

So go have that ice cream for dinner, leave your clothes on the bathroom floor, or watch that trashy TV show that you shamelessly love.

Sing songs to your cat or dog in that silly voice, and let them sleep in bed with you. Dance around to whatever cheesy music you want, or watch your favorite movie again and again.

Let your freak flag fly and enjoy being able to just be YOU.

5. Get in touch with your wide range of emotions

Let yourself feel ALL the feels. A big part of being in a relationship is dealing with each other’s emotions and moods. This is a beautiful growth opportunity, but it can also be a pain in the ass. When you’re single, you get to feel however you want to feel and no one will be “burdened” by it.

Donald Trump: Who are these Muslim sports heroes that Obama is talking about?

Real-estate magnate Donald Trump seemed puzzled on Sunday night after President Barack Obama referenced “our sports heroes” when talking about Muslim-Americans during his Oval Office address.
“Obama said in his speech that Muslims are our sports heroes. What sport is he talking about, and who?” Trump tweeted after Obama’s speech.
The Republican presidential front-runner then asked, “Is Obama profiling?”

View photo

.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Donald Trump, left, accepts his Muhammad Ali award from Ali at Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night.
There are a number of sports legends who have identified as Muslim, including basketball greats Shaquille O'Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Trump has feuded with Abdul-Jabbar on the campaign trail.
Additionally, Trump has both accepted from and given awards to boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Trump has shared multiple inspirational quotes from Ali on his Twitter feed and called Ali his “friend” earlier this year. Trump has also touted the campaign endorsement from another famous Muslim boxer, Mike Tyson.
Obama referenced Muslim sports heroes while urging respect for America’s Muslim community amid threats from radical groups like the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
“Muslim-Americans are our friends and our neighbors, our coworkers, our sports heroes — and, yes, they are our men and women in uniform who are willing to die in defense of our country,” Obama said, according to the White House transcript. “We have to remember that.”

NOW WATCH: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has an interesting theory about Donald Trump

Girl Voted ‘Ugliest’ at School Strikes Back at Bullies

A teenager who was voted one of the “ugliest girls” at her high school has responded online with a powerful message that is going viral.

Lynelle Cantwell is in 12th grade at Holy Trinity High School in Newfoundland, Canada. Last week she learned of an online poll that was encouraging her fellow students to vote for the “ugliest girls” in the grade. The poll included a list of female students, including Lynelle. After more than 100 anonymous votes, Lynelle landed fourth on the list.

STORY: When Does ‘Kids Being Kids’ Turn Into Cyberbullying?

But while plenty of victims of this kind of cyberbullying would be understandably devastated, perhaps trying to keep a low profile in the wake of such cruelty, Lynelle decided to take a stand. In a Facebook post that has gotten more than 6,200 shares since it was posted on Dec. 1, the 17-year-old wrote, “To the person that made the ‘ugliest girls in grade 12 at HTH’ ask.FM straw poll, I’m sorry that your life is so miserable that you have to try to bring others down. To the 12 people that voted for me to bring me to 4th place, I’m sorry for you too. I’m sorry that you don’t get to know me as a person. I know that I’m not the prettiest thing to look at. I know I have a double chin and I fit in XL clothes. I know I don’t have the perfect smile or the perfect face. But I’m sorry for you. Not myself. I’m sorry that you get amusement out of making people feel like s***. I’m sorry that you’ll never get the chance to know the kind of person I am. I may not look okay on the outside, but I’m funny, nice, kind, down-to-earth, not judgmental, accepting, helpful, and I’m super easy to talk to. That’s the same for every other girl on that list that you all put down. Just because we don’t look perfect on the outside does not mean we are ugly. If that’s your idea of ugly then I feel sorry for you. Like seriously? Get a life.”

STORY: Mom’s Inspiring Response to Bullies Who Called Her Fat
Lynelle admits that while she was hurt by the poll at first, she was mostly angry about it. “It outraged me … all of these girls are hurt because of this one person who has no heart or sympathy for anything,” she told CBC News of the person who started the poll. “I wanted to be the bigger person, and instead of fighting fire with fire, I decided to fight it a different way and make something that was really negative into something really positive.”
Her plan worked, and Facebook commenters have been applauding Lynelle for her bravery at standing up to bullies. Wrote one Facebook user: “Good for you Lynelle for taking a stand against not just bullying but cyberbullying. They have no idea how beautiful you are not just on the outside but inside as well. They also have no idea the wonderful friendship they will miss out on and the most fun-loving and most honest-to-goodness person they just lost. You have a beautiful smile and you are a beautiful person. Stay true to who you are and let no one bring you down. So wish I could have ¼ of your strength and wisdom.” Another added, “I admire your bravery Lynelle! You responded in a mature and positive way. Don’t let these lowlifes bother you. Bullies are the ugliest people.”
Even other girls included on the list thanked Lynelle for standing up for them. “Lynelle what you’ve done with this situation shows true courage. Thank you so much for supporting myself and all the girls on the list,” wrote one of Lynelle’s fellow students.
Lynelle says she’s been surprised by the reaction to her post, but that she’s feeling more confident than ever. “After I saw all of the support I got after I posted that message on Facebook, my confidence was boosted more than before,” she told Today. “I’m overwhelmed with the response. I don’t even have words for it. I’m trying to show people to combat negativity with positivity, and I hope people are getting the message.”
Andrew Hickey, principal of Lynelle’s high school, told Today that the poll was not typical of the Holy Trinity High School student body. “As a school staff, we have addressed this matter with the student population and provided information to parents and guardians,” he said. “District personnel, such as the Senior Education Officer for the school and the Safe and Caring Schools Itinerant, are also providing support to our school and have been meeting with students at the school class-by-class and discussing this topic.”

But Lynelle says that this behavior is more common than it should be. “Cyberbullying happens in every school,” she told Today. “I was taught to take the high road. I think we teens need to encourage and compliment each other more than be mean to each other. It’s also important for teens to think about those who are doing the bullying. They’re obviously not happy with something in their own lives and have to take it out on others.”