How to Enjoy Being Single in Your 40s

Co-authored by Susan Pazak, PhD and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: August 24, 2023 References

By the time you reach your fourth decade of life, you have a strong sense of who you are and what you want. But what if what you don't want is a romantic partner? If you look around at pop culture, you'd get the impression that anyone your age without a romantic partner must be miserable—but actually, that's far from the case. Turns out single people tend to be healthier and happier than people in long-term relationships. ^{[1]
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Research source} If you're not sure how to get there, never fear! We here at wikiHow have gathered some of the best tips to help you get the best out of your 40s as a single person.

1

Take advantage of the freedom to make your own choices.

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You can make decisions without anyone else's input. This means you ultimately have the freedom to do what you want with your time and money—and you have more time and money than people saddled with relationships and families. Choose what makes you happy and what makes you feel more fulfilled. ^{[2]
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- For example, if you decide you want to paint your bedroom purple, you can do that. You don't need to talk to your partner about it first or work the project around other people's schedules.
- This also means you can do things that sound positively indulgent to people who have a partner and kids. For example, if you want to sit down and read the latest bestseller cover-to-cover in one evening, you can do that without letting anything else fall by the wayside.

2

Put yourself first without guilt.

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You don't need to take anyone else's feelings into consideration. By the time you're in your 40s, you probably have a really good idea of what you want out of life—and being single means nothing is standing in your way of reaching for it. There's no need to compromise or make sacrifices, as you might need to do if you were part of a couple. ^{[3]
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- For example, if you decide that you want to leave a secure job to work at a nonprofit or pursue a creative career with less stability. You can do that—the only needs you have to take into consideration are your own.
- Because you don't have to worry about anyone else's competing interests, you can do "extra" things without any pressure as well. For example, if you want to join a bowling league, you don't have to ask your partner if they'll be okay if you're not at home on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

3

Launch a passion project.

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You have the skills and experience to do something you've always wanted to do. A passion project is usually something that most other people won't see the utility in—but you're doing it for yourself because it's something that you love. If it takes a lot of time and effort to get your project off the ground, so what! You've got the freedom to see it through. It might not ultimately result in any financial gain, but you'll feel more fulfilled for having done it. ^{[4]
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- For example, maybe you've been adapting handed-down family recipes and you've always wanted to write your own cookbook. Now you have the time, energy, and experience to get those recipes and stories down.
- Another factor is financial stability. Typically you're enjoying a stable career by the time you hit your 40s, which gives you more resources to put towards your passion project.

4

Learn new things.

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Mastering a new skill enhances your sense of self-worth. Take the opportunity to learn something new that you've always wanted to be able to do. Through the process, you'll become a more well-rounded person. ^{[5]
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- For example, if you've always wanted to learn how to cook, you might sign up for a community cooking class.
- You can also learn on your own. For example, there are apps that will help you learn a language or how to play a musical instrument. Because this is self-directed learning, you can use them whenever you want.

Quiz

wikiHow Quiz: Why Am I Single?

Have you been single for a while, maybe even longer than expected? When you go through a long period of singledom, the reasons why aren’t always super obvious—but that doesn’t mean you should lose hope! Take our quiz to answer the question: Why am I single?

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