Misconception #1 that I hear a lot about single people is that they have more money than married/coupled people do because we don't have children, therefore I should be able to afford so many extravagant things. Hahaha!! This makes me laugh. If you really think about it, that's so not the case; in fact it's the exact opposite. No, I do not have children or a pet or any of those things, but what I do have is the sole responsibility for all things in my life...debt, bills/utilities, groceries, insurance and any of the entertainment expenses and emergencies that come up. I do not have anyone to help me split groceries or bills and am living on one income. I work two jobs to be able to afford all of those things and to have an emergency fund. I understand that many families live off one income as well, but I am talking in the case of both spouses working in this case.
I have also been told and heard that I should strive for a husband and children. I feel like the people that think those things are stuck back in the old days when that's what women did and some were expected to do, but not today! While I do believe that families are so important and I know many happy families (and some not so happy ones) I do not feel like I should "have" to have that or I'm not actually living my life just because society tells us that we should. Why can't I be happy being single or at the very least, married with no children? Yes, I love children and have always looked forward to being a mom, but the older I get, the less I feel like I need that to define my life on this planet and I will not be devastated if that does not happen. We all know that the future is not guaranteed and we do not know what the next day holds for us; all that we have is TODAY, right NOW. So until the opportunity presents itself, I am going to continue living my life from one day to the next and not worry about what is in the future for me.
I have been frustrated lately because I don't feel like there are enough hours in the day to do all of the things that I want, but I met someone yesterday and they said something to me that really made me think..."people will make time for things that are important to them." I'm sure most of you have heard this before, as have I, but with everything that's been on my mind lately, that seemed to really stick with me. There are so many things that I enjoy doing, but to do that all in one day is just not feasible; unless I didn't want to get any sleep, but let's face it, that's not happening. I have a slightly O.C.D. personality and am your typical Type A personality and I like to have things organized and have decided that I"m going to rely on my planner and actively making time for those things that I want to do. If I can plan when I will do those things for myself, then I can stop making the excuse that "there just aren't enough hours in the day." If someone want something then they will make every effort to get it, otherwise they'll make excuses. So no more excuses!!
Do any of you have thoughts or comments on this topic? I'd love to hear your thoughts or if you have heard similar things and are in the same boat as me.