Some people are better at being single than others. The people who don’t seem to struggle too much with being single are those who enjoy their own company. That doesn’t mean that these people want to be on their own forever, or even for a number of years, just that they’re better equipped to be single than those who need to be constantly surrounded by other people.

One of the benefits of being single is that you get to live how you want. When in a relationship there’s always a degree of compromise to be made – by both parties (at least there is if the relationship is a supportive and healthy one). But when you live on your own there are no compromises to be made and you don’t have to take anyone else into consideration. If you want to watch Law and Order for four hours solid you can; if you want to eat take-out for five nights in a row you can. You don’t have to worry whether your partner is perhaps getting just a little fed up with watching Law and Order, or whether he or she would rather eat something that was served up on a plate rather than in a tinfoil container.

Many single people probably already know how to enjoy evenings at home alone – they just don’t realise that that’s what they’re doing when they’re doing it. Without someone else by their side, they’re led to believe that life isn’t complete and that they can’t be totally happy on their own. But even if you’re single and you want to be part of a couple, while you’re waiting for that to happen, you should take the time to appreciate evenings at home on your own. Ask anyone who’s married or part of a couple what they miss about being single, and if they were to answer truthfully, they’d probably say quality time alone.

There’s no need to arrange something ‘*fun” to do every night when you’re single and living on your own. That would be exhausting and forcing yourself to have fun rarely works. It’s best to remember, when you’re at home alone in the evening on a Tuesday in wintertime, how your married colleague was moaning earlier in the day about what she had to do later on and how she never had anytime to do the things she wanted to do. So when you’re leisurely preparing your dinner, and then eating it with a glass of your favourite wine, be thankful that you’re not rushed off your feet having to chauffeur members of your family all over the place.

There are many advantages of living alone, most of which we take for granted and only miss when we’re no longer single. So relish the free time you have. Use it to improve your mind. Enrol in night classes at your local college to learn about European art or how to play the guitar (admittedly you will have to venture outdoors for the actual class once a week but you can spend all the time you want at home reading up on the subject or practising your new craft). Or use your spare evenings to improve your body. Buy a treadmill or a simple mat and fitness DVD and work out in the evenings at home or just relax with soft lights and the scents of an aroma diffuser. If you do crave company, then invite some friends round for dinner – make it a regular dinner date so you know that every Wednesday or Friday evening you’ll be entertaining.

Don’t spend your free evenings pining for something – or someone – you don’t have. Spend your time on getting to where you want to be in life. And in later years you’ll be able to look back and be grateful that those evenings alone helped you become the person you are today.