Table for one, please. No shame.
Being single doesn't mean being lonely—in fact, one doctor found that there are surprising benefits to the table for one life.
Dr. Bella DePaulo, a social scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, studied nearly 1,000 studies of both single and married people and drew from her own research. What she found was that "singles tended to be more self-reliant and self-motivated than those in a relationship." Singles also grew as individuals more than people who were part of a couple, and they set more goals for themselves. They also found value in their relationships with parents, siblings, friends, and coworkers.
Being single also led to less negative emotions, because you weren't relying on someone else and becoming disappointed in their behavior. In other words, you love and trust yourself.
"More than ever, Americans can pursue the ways of living that work best for them. There is no blueprint for the good life," she added.
The research was presented American Psychological Association's 124th Annual Convention.