When I realized I was going to be single, and a single mom, I was scared. I felt a lot more emotions than that, but it felt the strongest. As time went on I was able to feel other things and gain the confidence that I needed in order to be a successful mom and business owner.

However, here I am still single years later, people often ask me why. There are a few different reasons, all of which are that I am enjoying life. There is so much that I am enjoying right now. I got married young and I wasn’t able to truly enjoy my 20’s the way I could have. I am thankful for the past, but living in the present right now I am doing things that I want to do.

Too many times people think there is something wrong with the person if they are single for too long. I can let you know that I have boundaries, but also I am able to truly enjoy my life and go after my goals and hobbies. Here are some quick things that I enjoy the most:

Do whatever I want. If I cant get the dishes done, then it’s fine. If I want to go out to eat with myself or son, I can. I make my own time and schedule. I can organize my schedule and house as I see fit!
Enjoy the extra time with my son. I get twice the cuddles and hugs and LOVE IT. He is growing too quick.
Work on myself. I have been working on myself in many ways: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. I realized that I needed some assistance and took action.
Enjoy hobbies. I am getting back into the swing of this, people ask me what I do outside of work and I honestly don’t even know! So I started to spike an interest where I saw fit.
Relax. I can sit down and take time out to pause through out the day!
Rely on me. I like being in control and taking charge of my life. I enjoy being able to trust in myself and make decisions.

Yes, I get lonely but I wouldn’t change it just yet. I will only be at this place one time in my life, so I might as well enjoy it and embrace it. What tips do you have for other parents who are single?

Susie Liberatore is the owner, and Art Director, of Visions2images Creative Services. She helps established businesses grow their brand awareness by using digital marketing and professional branding techniques. With over a decade of agency and corporate experience, she brings businesses’ visions to life, while watching their return on investment increase.

Susie helps businesses grow their brand presence and connect with their target audience.

The Ultimate Branding Guide to Win New Clients in 7 Days

You know when you are no longer married or have your best friend near you, you start to find and discover yourself all over again. I married young; I was 20 when I tied the knot. I never fully had the experience and independence that most people do in those years because of being married. For 11 years and then some, I thought he was the one and went head over heels for him.

The truth of the matter is that at first, I was, of course, sad and scared when I realized the divorce was going to happen. I felt alone and mad. Despite that, I had to change my mindset. I had to change what I was thinking and figure out how to overcome and gain closure.

Once I started to work on my mindset, I realized that I love being on my own. I LOVE IT!

Leftovers. I have found that I can save money by eating leftovers. I will actually eat them until they are gone and not mind! Rather than eating them to save money, why waste food?!
No need to cook anything fancy. I don’t need to make full entrees and fancy food that will sit in the fridge for days and be wasted. I used to cook so much, never eat the remainder, and end up throwing it out. Now, some days I don’t really cook at all. We might have sandwiches, pizza, or chicken nuggets. I try to keep our food balanced, don’t get me wrong, but there are days we spoil that a little.
No one to complain. There is nothing worse than coming home after a long day and being nagged. I love being able to wake up in the morning on my own, have those moments alone, and clear my head mentally so I can prep for a great day.
No real need to worry. If the house isn’t clean or the laundry isn’t done, I don’t have to worry about feeling guilty and rushing to tidy. I don’t have to ask for help; I can just do it whenever I get around to it.
Better finances. I know that I don’t go out and spend my money foolishly on anything that I don’t need. The desire to go to the gas station and the store all the time to be happy and spend money vanished. I can manage my money and budget quite well now.
New friendships. When you go through a divorce, you lose friends or remove them from your life because you don’t want to choose sides. You must find new friends that can relate to what you are going through. I have made so many new friends that I couldn’t even imagine living without them.

I have learned to embrace the whole divorce journey and being on my own. You need to find the beauty in a new chapter; otherwise, you will live a miserable life for the rest of your days. I can live the way I want to without feeling bad or guilty about it now.