Now don’t misunderstand me, I like cats, I follow instakitten, I’m all over the fluffy cuteness. But what I’m not loving is the worrying trend among Irish women. Single=Sad. No. I’m single and I’m not sad, being single is empowering. There is a frightening epidemic curling itself around my friends, this pressure to have a serious relationship, to have a man in their lives. I’m sorry bugs, but I’m not buying it. This is our time, dance, sing, order another shot. Life is for living and creating yourself, not for waiting for a boy to do it for you. We are getting opportunities our mothers didn’t, and things are grandmothers never would have dreamed of are suddenly tangible.
I’m not a bad-ass, I’m not hard or bitter, I’m a marshmallow. I love being in love. I love cutesiness and cuddles. But I love me more. If I settle now in my early twenties then what else will I settle on? My career? My dreams? Umm how about no? How about I argue with every one of my single girlfriends when they say ‘I need a boyfriend’? We don’t need boyfriends, we need progression. Travel, education, things that bring you happiness.
This decade is ours, don’t focus on fellas, focus on yourself. I think we all need a little kick in the arse ladies. Stop wondering if the boy from Saturday is going to text you and start googling internships. Don’t put yourself on standstill in the hopes of having a regular shift, choose paths for you, choose places for you, choose for yourself. I’m not willing to lose myself to gain a guy, and this is what’s bothering me when I hear cat lady jokes. We all know the girl who’s cut herself off from her friends to focus solely on her boyfriend, the girl who doesn’t seem happy but is fighting, fighting, fighting for that boy to be in her life. At some stage we’ve been that girl. This isn’t ok.
USA 2013, learning things. Tequila things.
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Don’t be scared of being alone, be scared of being with someone who makes you feel alone. Go see things, go be things. I want to see elephants, not cats. Who’s with me?
Blog post be Ciara McGowan on her blog theciaracatherine.wordpress.co
