As much as divorce sucks, the period after a marriage ends is a unique opportunity to finally be a little selfish again and take your needs firmly off the back burner.
To remind you of that, we recently asked HuffPost bloggers and readers on Facebook to share the one thing they appreciate most about being unattached post-split. See what they had to say below, then tell us what you appreciate most about the single life in the comments.
1. "You finally have someone to watch the kids: Your ex! You can see a movie, take an evening class, whatever you want." -- Jill Ghianni
2. "I really love not having to share my closet with anyone. My bedroom is all mine. I can lounge in my king-sized bed, writing or reading before I go to sleep and not worry about keeping anyone else up. I can stretch out and I don’t hear any snoring or have anyone nudging me." -- Jennifer Iacovelli, blogger at Another Jennifer
3. "Not having to listen to someone else's opinion of your every move." -- Cara Allen
4.
5. "I don't have to share the remote or compromise Netflix selections. (Not many people want to watch 'Friends,' 'The Office,' or 'New Girl' on repeat or watch 'Hitch' and 'Silver Linings Playbook' for the hundredth time.) Now I don't have to ask anyone else what they want to watch or pretend to care about the latest 'Fast and Furious' movie." -- Lindsey Light, blogger at HuffPost
6. "I have the whole bed to myself and can do whatever I want for a change." -- Amber Mickey
7. "You can listen to your own music choices in the car. During one long car trip to Yellowstone during my marriage, after listening to sports talk radio, then the Dave Matthews Band and then some acoustic jazz, I would have happily gotten out of the car and walked home in boots worse than Reese’s in 'Wild.'" -- L.V. Krause, author of Eaten Alive: the Truth About Online Dating for Women
8. "Going to a matinee movie alone without having to explain to anyone why I went alone or didn’t take them." -- Ken Solin, author of The Boomer Guide to Finding True Love Online
9. "The best part about being single is that I no longer have to answer to anyone. I don’t have to explain where I’m going or why. I don’t have to justify what I’m spending my money on. When the kids are with their dad, I can do what I want with whomever I want and stay out as late as I want. Or I can stay in my PJs all day long and ignore the dishes that are piling up in the sink. I joke that dating and hanging out with my married friends reminds me of why I love being single. Honestly, it’s nice to have some single time after being with one person for so long!" -- Jennifer Iacovelli
10. "I can spend what I want on a night out with the girls and I only have to answer to my credit card." -- Julie Morey, divorce recovery and life coach
11.
12. "Being single kicks ass because I can flirt with that young Starbucks barista and there's no one there to tell me I can't." -- Laura Lifshitz, blogger at From MTV To Mommy
13. "There are times when I’m alone that I like to stand in front of the open door of my refrigerator and eat dinner from it like it’s a deli smorgasbord. You don't do that when a partner's around." -- Ken Solin
14. "Not being on anyone else time schedule. I get up and the day is mine: ALL. Mine." -- Amy Koko, author of There's Been A Change Of Plans
15. "You’re free to make your own decorating choices. It’s much more fun to walk in a furniture store and choose whatever appeals to you without compromising or being completely overruled. Case in point: I now have a retro-'50s purple sofa." -- L.V. Krause
16.
17. "I can date as many guys as I want -- and I do. I get to feel sexy and have fun." -- Julie Morey
18. "I get to pick the restaurant. Having two kids under five, I don't often eat out, so when I do, I really want to enjoy the experience. Whether I'm going to eat by myself or order takeout, it's nice to have the final say; so what if it's usually sushi or pizza? The heart wants what it wants." -- Lindsey Light
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