Ser solteiro nunca foi um golpe de azar, foi sempre a minha escolha e a minha decisão

Quando vêem uma rapariga como eu, a maioria de vocês sente pena.

After all, I’m, without any false modesty, a good looking, attractive, intelligent and successful girl.

No entanto, tenho um defeito crítico que anula claramente todas as minhas boas qualidades: I’m single e não estão prontos para se misturarem.

Segundo muitos, deve haver algo de errado comigo. Everything in my life is going smoothly – everything besides one thing: relationships.

I’ve been alone for ages so people end up making conspiracy theories. They can’t believe that I haven’t been seeing anyone for such a long time.

Será que espero demasiado? Os meus padrões são demasiado elevados? Será que os homens me vêem como namorada?

What is even harder to believe for most is that I’m not desperate about my relationship status. In fact, I’m not in the dating market and I’m not actively looking for a boyfriend.

Of course, most think that these are just false pretenses and that I’m lying when I say I’m not bothered by the lack of a boyfriend.

Eles assumem que eu passo as minhas noites solitárias a chorar até adormecer e a rezar a Deus para que finalmente me envie alguém.

Bem, deixem-me dizer-vos uma coisa: As hard as this is to believe, I don’t think of my single status as a curse or bad luck. In fact, I’m single by choice.

Sim, ouviram bem: Passar todo este tempo fora de qualquer tipo de envolvimento romântico foi uma decisão exclusivamente minha e a coisa que considerei ser a melhor opção para mim.

É que não há nada mais fácil do que se expor e agarrar o primeiro tipo que aparece.

Some might call it spontaneous – and I don’t like to meddle in anyone’s choices – but that’s just not my cuppa.

De facto, isto é provavelmente o que eu faria se tivesse medo de estar sozinho.

It’s exactly how I would behave if I thought that I needed a man to complete me and expected another human being to make me happy.

Isto é o que eu faria se me preocupasse com o que os outros pensam.

If I were to fall under pressure from my friends and family who keep asking me when I will settle down or if I’m too embarrassed to keep on showing up to different events without my plus one.

This is how I would behave if I was a regular girl who lives her life by the book and according to someone else’s rules. However, this is just not how I roll.

Don’t get me wrong. This doesn’t mean that I’ve sentenced myself to an entire life of solitude.

It doesn’t mean that I’m running away from the possibility of ever encontrar o amor ou nunca o deixaria entrar na minha vida.

Mas, Nunca me envolverei numa relação pelas razões erradas.

I won’t settle for less than I deserve just out of fear of dying alone. I won’t go around dating a bunch of guys who want to get into my pants just so I could have someone to sleep next to at night.

I won’t be in a loveless relationship just because I’m tired of being an outcast. I won’t lower my standards because I’m afraid that everyone will accuse me of being too picky.

I won’t trade my perfectly ordered life for a relationship that will make me miserable and heartbroken. I won’t trade my peace for chaos!

Most importantly – I won’t seek happiness elsewhere until I acquire it by myself. I won’t be searching for my other half. Instead, I’ll do my best to complete myself.

You see, I don’t need validation from anyone. I don’t have to be in a romantic relationship to see my value or consider myself enough.

I don’t need a man to respect me in order for me to feel confident in myself and I certainly don’t need one to love me so I could love myself.

Therefore, if true love ever appears in my life, I will welcome it with open arms. If a man who deserves me crosses my path, I won’t chase him away.

However, if none of this happens, I’ll be perfectly fine the way I am.