The Freedom and Fulfillment of Living Single: Conversations with Dr. Bella DePaulo

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Dr. Bella DePaulo challenges societal assumptions about singleness, revealing how many people are genuinely "single at heart" and thrive in this lifestyle not despite being single, but because of it.

• Being single at heart means feeling most authentic, comfortable, and fulfilled when living a single life
• Single people often maintain richer social connections with diverse people compared to coupled individuals
• The ability to flourish in solitude is a strength, not a deficiency or psychological problem
• Freedom is consistently cited as the greatest benefit of single life by those who are single at heart
• Some partnered people can score high on the "single at heart" scale and need space even in committed relationships
• Those who are single at heart need "the ones" (diverse social connections) rather than "the one" romantic partner
• Creating separate spaces within relationships can help those with single at heart tendencies thrive while partnered
• Being single at heart isn't about rejecting connection, but about living your most authentic life

Find Dr. Bella DePaulo's book "Single at Heart: The Power, Freedom, and Heart-Filling Joy of Single Life" on Amazon and major booksellers, and check out her TED Talk "What No One Ever Told You About People Who Are Single."

Dr. DePaulo's website

Referenced in the episode:
How to Be Alone by Sara Maitland

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