Anyone else who has given up hope / made peace of never finding a relationship?

[IwantYOURdog]

Pretty much that.

If you have, how did you do it?

I won’t settle, never met the right person since my divorce in 2000
I now feel invisible

Once you become comfortable with being alone l think you become quite protective over it. Peace of mind is priceless.

I won’t say I’ve given up hope, not all hope anyway but I have made peace with the possibility I’ll be on my own for the rest of my life.

I can’t lie, sometimes I feel sad about this. But the rest of the time, I’m okay with it.

I have hobbies. I have friends. I have work. I have pets. I have a vibrator. They fill my brain, my time and my heart (and any other gaps) quite nicely.

I was unhappy (understatement!) in my last relationship and took time out from dating to heal from that. At first, all men were lying, cheating, womanising bastards and none of them were ever coming near me again with their grand gestures, false words and promises Then, I went through a sort of well he was nice but bleughhh, I can’t be arsed/what’s the point phase. After that, I decided to throw all this spare time into doing stuff for ME. And I found I quite like being this selfish!

Today’s fast-paced dating scene is a bit too cut-throat for my liking so I’ve stopped “putting myself out there” – I’ve stopped looking. And I’ve stopped signalling.

I can’t predict what tomorrow might bring and I can’t alter the past, but, if somebody comes into my life and we “click” then great, and I’ll see where that takes me.

Until then, I’m happy with Right Now.

(Very Zen-like philosophy there!)

Me. I think I just realised my previous partners had brought nothing good to my life. When I think about my life without someone holding me back I can do anything. I have a good job, good friends, I like my own company, if I want children I cam do it alone. I can't think of anything a partner could give me that I want more than my own independence.

I am. Also a little bit sceptical about a relationship being the be all and end all. I know many people who feel as lost in their relationship as those who are single.

To add, some interesting comments here about observing those in relationships. I can count on one hand the couples I know who are truly happy. Everybody else is winging it, worried about their OH having an affair, checking phones, being a general skivvy, no social life and barely any sex life. Sod all that. I've realised that some people will settle rather than be alone. The time I've had alone after a long marriage has been very useful because I realised that actually I prefer it. I definitely wouldn't live with somebody again, not a chance 🤷🏻‍♀️