NAS: “Loving the Single Life”

If you are like me and find it difficult to appreciate the small things of the single life because all you can think about are the benefits of married life, then there’s a small marketing trick I learned that will help us with this week’s NAS post. When trying to sell products to someone, figure out their fears, and then turn them into desires. So for this exercise, I am taking areas in which I would fear being single and find things about them that are actually desirable:

Fear:  Never have someone to wake up to every morning.

Desirable: BED TO MYSELF.  I love, love, LOVE my full-size bed. I was left the frame and box spring by the previous landlord, so no real deliberation about bed size was made. But oh, it is so wonderful. I get to sprawl, take all the covers, dress it in green flowery sheets, fidget until I find a comfy position, sprawl corner to corner. Did I mention that already? I just love not having to have to have a “side of the bed.” I seriously think that when I get married, I may insist on a California King so I can have my sprawl space and not kick or hit poor dear hubby.

It’s all mine!

Fear: Never have someone point out: “cold chicken nuggets and handfuls of shredded cheese from the bag do not constitute a proper meal.”

Desirable: GROCERIES ARE CHEAPER. When I see the totals ring up during my runs, I nearly bless myself sometimes and think “Thank goodness it’s only me. I can’t imagine what’d I’d do if I were responsible for the food and had a husband to think of. The cost would double, at least. And then, oh goodness, add in weaned children, and we’d basically just be able to afford a mortgage and  food bills. So right now I am very glad I can satisfy my nutrition and taste buds without emptying the bank.

I can afford all this. And it’s all mine!

Fear: Reaching a certain age and not being married.

Desirable: NON-MAN MILESTONES ARE ACHIEVED. Sometimes when I focus on how I’m such-and-such an age and still not married, I lose sight of the fact that there are other things I have succeeded at in life: Attaining my Master’s Degree, landing a book  deal, earning a job I love.  I wouldn’t trade my experiences in grad school or Boston for the world. While I do think it possible to be in school or entry-level jobs and be married, my life may have been very different, and I don’t know that the other experiences would have shaped me the ways these have. It’s fun to look back or now or at the future and say “I did that,” “I’m doing this,” “That will happen” and be assured of my future, because of my choices and not dependent on the choices of a man.

I did this! All by myself!

Now go check out Jen and all the other Single Ladies and their lists!