Here’s the truth nobody likes to say out loud: you can be in love and still miss the freedom of being single.
Not because your partner is doing anything wrong, not because the relationship is toxic, and definitely not because you want to cheat. You just… miss you — the version of you that existed before the “we.”
Being in a relationship often comes with beautiful moments — love, companionship, growth, and that feeling of having someone in your corner. I love my boyfriend deeply. He’s kind, attentive, and we’ve built something real. But there are days I find myself craving a little space that no longer belongs fully to me.
I miss saying “yes” to plans on a whim. I miss not having to consider someone else’s schedule, feelings, or expectations before making a decision. I miss late-night solo walks with headphones blasting, sleeping diagonally across the bed, and having a weekend completely to myself without checking in with anyone.
But more than the logistics, I miss the mindset of singlehood — the fierce independence, the time spent getting to know myself without the influence of another person’s presence. When you’re single, your energy is yours alone. Your future is yours to shape without compromise. You answer only to yourself.
That doesn’t mean I don’t value what I have now. Loving someone is an incredible part of life. But it’s also okay to acknowledge that with every “gain,” there’s a trade-off. And sometimes, in love, what you trade is solitude, spontaneity, and a certain kind of self-prioritization.
No one tells you that relationships — even the healthiest ones — come with moments of nostalgia for the days when you were your only responsibility. Missing those days doesn’t make you ungrateful. It makes you honest.
In a world that often glorifies romantic relationships as the peak of happiness, it’s brave to admit that singlehood had its perks. It doesn’t mean you chose wrong — it just means you’ve lived both lives, and you see the beauty in each.
So yes, I love my boyfriend. But I also love the girl I used to be — and I’m learning how to keep parts of her alive, even within a relationship.
Because the best love story is the one where you don’t lose yourself in loving someone else.
Source: NewsandVibes.com