Ashley Jamesさんのインスタグラム写真 - (Ashley JamesInstagram)「It's the last full moon of the decade, so as we close this chapter I've also just realised it's 6 years to the day since I've been single. What a journey of self-discovery it's been! ✨ When I first became single, I didn't really know how to be alone and content. I'd always been a 'relationship girl', and it was scary both emotionally and financially to go back to living on my own. For the first few years, I really didn't believe it when people claimed to be happy single. I saw it as a failure somehow, and felt I needed someone else to validate my happiness and to start living my life and going to nice places. I've never been into random hook-ups, and felt I had so much care to give someone. In hindsight, my desire to be with someone probably meant I dated the wrong people, and with every heartbreak, my self-esteem got lower and lower. It all changed when I decided to go solo-travelling a few years ago. I was in such a low place after being treated badly, and felt drained from constantly attracting emotionally unavailable people. Since then, I found freedom in my single status. I could be totally selfish with how I wanted to live my life, where I wanted to go. I threw myself into work, bought a house all on my own, and have gone on to explore the world. 🌝 For the last couple of years, I stopped focussing on dating and started putting my energy and time into my friendships, which has brought me so much joy. Sure, I've met some people along the way I thought I had soul connections with, but I've not been actively looking and it just hasn't been right and that's ok. ✨ Sure, there's definitely been some lonely times, but I've got a love for life, developed amazing friendships, and have a real understanding of myself. I'm still the same hopeless romantic I've always been, but know that now when I meet someone it's because I want to be with them, not because I need to be with someone. ❤️ It breaks my heart hearing friends tell me they're staying in relationships because they're too scared to be alone, or because they feel they're too old. Or other friends who still see being single as a failure on their part. Be single.✨ So here's to a new chapter! ❤️ #singlelife」12月13日 5時13分