Did you know that there is a week celebrating single people? The third week of September is dedicated to celebrating the contributions that single people make to a society that is inherently designed for married couples and families. Founded in the 1980s by the Buckeye Singles Council in Ohio, National Singles Week was later renamed to include unmarried people who did not identify with the term “single” (because they are parents, have partners, or are widowed, etc.).
So there you have it, this week is Unmarried and Singles week!
I didn’t know it existed this week either, until I went to my local library and saw the banner over the main entry way. So of course I had to google that. Well I learned that it is a thing, and now, I am very happy to be celebrating it.
I feel like my world does revolve around marriage and families. I mean, being Jayne is about families after all. I spend my free time researching new products, supporting families in their buying decisions, helping companies appeal to families, and helping couples prepare for their new bundles of joy that help make a family. There is no feel or it might in my situation, its a reality, I was put on this earth to assist families.
It can get lonely though, when you go out to a restaurant, or go to a movie, or do anything out there without a friend, partner or family. Disneyland just isn’t the same without at least a partner, whether it be in tiny human form or adult form, best friend, brother or significant other, the world was designed for even numbers, and pairs of 2 fit the perfect mold.
However, this week is not about harboring the demons of being single. This week is celebrating the achievement that come with being single. And while there are days when I doubt my choices and how I got here, I can also be proud of the decision to continue life today as a proud single woman.
I know who I am, and I am happy with that.
That achievement alone is something to celebrate. I have seen the world, explored the world, and precisely designed my world to fit me. Which is something I would not have been able to do with a significant other who dictated my career aspirations or life goals. Not every significant other or spouse dictates their partners next steps in life, but the reality is that no matter how supportive your partner is, a mutually amicable relationship means that you’re making the best decision for both of you, and not just for yourself. I have the luxury of directing my game of life movements to fit my personal interest.
I had the luxury this year of developing new strategies for work that would be mutual beneficial to the consumer and myself as the processor. It was something I poured a lot of time and effort into, and the reason that inspired it was because I had the time to work with consumers in the field and ask them what their biggest grievances were in an effort to fix them. The ability to be able to dedicate time doing field research and development had a lot to do with the choice to spend the majority of the year dedicating myself to work and not a partner who would support that. Inspired by being a single player in the game of life, I designed the new system specifically for my own selfish gain of not having to spend 4x as much time processing the way I currently am.
I have read a few articles lately that say that lazy people are usually the smartest. I can believe that and get behind that conclusion because the lazier I am feeling, the more likely I am to create a solution to whatever problem may inhibit my ability to be lazy. I am pretty sure that same thought process is what created the remote control, the clapper, automatic door, and the self-driving vehicle.
Today, since its near the last days of the celebratory week, I am celebrating my singleness and all I have been able to achieve this last year in my single-dom. There is nothing to be ashamed of when single, instead there is lots of be embraced. While there is always the passed judgement of age and being single, there is lots to be celebrated. You have control of your destiny and nobody else gets a say in it, love it, learn from it, and embrace it.
If anything reminds me of why I should embrace my single life freedom, its financial freedom. While its great to be able to split costs down the middle, I have found in my social circles, being single leaves a lot more money in the bank. While my friends struggled to pay for expenses incurred from their unions, being single has save me that financial burden. I am totally okay with that.
Independence, a career and fiscal responsibility, all the things a girl needs to remind her that being single is full of perks. So all the single ladies and gents… lets celebrate being single!
The Jayne Project 