The other day I received an e-newsletter from Gretchen Rubin, author of the bestseller The Happiness Project. It introduced Neil Pasricha, who maintains the website 1,000 Awesome Things.
Neil started a countdown in June 2008, marveling about one awesome thing every weekday, beginning with #1,000. He’s down to 230 yet-to-be-named awesome things, having celebrated late-night conversations (#234), juicy burritos (#239) and radio magic (#910).
Neil recently revealed awesome thing #240, an entry that has become one of his top posts (right up there with radio magic): “being single.” After acknowledging the occasional woes of single life (“We feel our parents pushing and we hear your chatty lips”), he proceeded to cite 10 reasons it rocks to be unattached.
I’m providing direct quotes, with parenthetical paraphrases.
- Some like it hot. (You pick the water temp.)
- One set of parents. (No burdensome in-laws.)
- Take back the night. (Stay up late and make noise if you like.)
- Don’t be an a##. (No salt & pepper shaker Halloween costumes.)
- Flirt like you mean it. (Old-fashioned fun.)
- Getting to know you. (Self knowledge trumps all.)
- Bargain basement holidays. (No stupid pink teddy bears just because it’s Feb. 14.)
- You can get with this or you can get with that. (Go make those midnight pancakes. Or go to bed early.)
- Own your bed, own your life. (Sprawl, baby.)
- Embrace your disgusting habits. (No one will raise an eyebrow.)
Neil wraps it up with a rhyming pep talk.
People, let’s hear it today for being single. Exploring the world, finding adventures, and scoping big scenes are hallmarks of being cool with being you.Because look — falling in love is great and falling in love is nice, but that doesn’t mean going alone can’t also be sugar and spice.
Good days and bad days, setting suns and shining stars, it’s all about perspective and focusing on who you are.
Because if all you need is love, and all love needs is you, then it’s great to relax and enjoy… just being you with you.
Don’t you feel a bit more chipper now? Is your step springier?
So seriously…what’s missing from Neil’s list? Which items would you refute?
