To make matters worse, your friends might talk to you about who they are dating or how things are going in their relationship and instead of being happy for them if things are going well, you find yourself either not caring or being bitter about it.

Being singled out is one of those things that can happen at any age – it’s not just a young person who’s friends have all started dating and getting married. Those who are getting over a divorce might find themselves back in the single scene while they are nearing retirement age – making it even more difficult in some cases.

It’s hard to say why friendships seem to be one of the most difficult things to maintain when one of the friends starts dating or gets married, especially if it’s been a long time friendship such as two friends who have known each other since kindergarten. Part of it might be that we often fall in the quest to find true love that we forget about the other people in our life – the other part may stem in the fact that suddenly the things you used to do with your friend are now replaced by the new love interest of theirs. I don’t think it is intentional or fueled by emotion – it happens simply because there are only 24 hours a day and while we’d like to talk to everybody it’s just not always possible.

So What’s A Single Guy or Girl To Do?

If you’re stuck feeling like you’re the only one who’s still single or without a date, here’s some tips to help you deal with it:

1. Don’t Feel Sorry For Yourself: It’s easy to get caught up in the whole “woe is me, nobody wants to hang out with me” kind of thinking. Once you get into the self pity party it’s hard to get back out and go enjoy yourself. If you start feeling like you’re a hopeless loser, (and  know it’s totally natural to feel that way) – remember just because that’s the way you feel doesn’t make it true.

2. Immerse Yourself in Activities: It doesn’t matter what kind of activity you decide to be interested in – one of the best ways to deal with being single is to keep yourself occupied doing things you genuinely enjoy doing. Take up salsa dancing classes or do things you’d never considered before. Not only will you have fun, but you’ll likely meet some new people to interact with as well.

3. Make the Effort if the Friendship is Important to You: If the friendship is important to you, then you will need to be the one to make the effort to keep the friendship going. A lot of times when friends get married and start having kids it’s not that they don’t want to hang out with you or see you – in fact it could be the opposite, they just haven’t had the time to call. They might not call you not because they suddenly stopped liking you, but maybe are afraid now that they’ve settled down and have the boring life you wouldn’t be interested in them anymore.

4. Don’t Go On Dates Out of Desperation: To make up with your single-hood-ness, you could go on multiple dates on that quest to find true love. There’s thousands of online dating sites to try and meeting up with someone takes no little more than a few clicks of a mouse. But there’s a big difference between dating someone out of desperation and dating someone because they genuinely interest you. When you’re in desperation mode, you might find yourself settling for less than you really deserve or tricking yourself into thinking you like someone when really maybe the chemistry is not even there. Make a Rule: You’ll only date someone because they genuinely interest you and have similiar interests and passions – not just because they are a date.

5. If All Else Fails, Remember This: All friendships and relationships on earth come to an end eventually. While this might not seem like uplifting advice, if you think of it that some people may only be meant to be in our lives for a little while, you can look back being thankful for what you had and move forward to enjoy each and every day from this point forward. Nothing lasts forever, which is why its important to enjoy every single day you have – whether you’re with your old friends or meeting and making new ones.

Do you have any thoughts about being singled out when all your friends are in relationships except for you? We’d love to hear your comments below.

My answer to the title lately has been a resounding: “no.” If someone wants to remain single then that is their right but gon are the days when people can cite lack of prospects as the reason she/he is staying single.

A lady I work with has a daughter who just turned 28. She is single and has a one year old son. I have been hearing from my friend lately about how “all the good men are taken” and if only we could “find someone for her.” Maybe I am just naive but I always wonder why people like her haven’t tried online dating? My friend stated that she felt the format was too dangerous and that the freaks on those services outweigh the real prospects. I had to agree but with a caveat: “It worked for me!” Chances are if you are reading this you know someone who is single and pining or you yourself are. Be forlorn no more: online dating will get you out of the single rut. Note: you should read Chelle’s helpful post of online dating tips as you enter into this realm.

There are many services out there. The one that worked for me and my wife was Yahoo! Personals. I like it because it is local based, meaning you can do searches of your zip code and find people you don’t have to drive hours to meet up with. You simply sign up and start emailing people. Through repeated back and forth you start to find people you click with. From there, you start to date.

If you are a single person, I challenge you with this (because I challenged myself with it years ago): Find one person online you are interested in. Make a date to meet in an open food court area at a mall or something. Put a time cap on it of an hour so you can excuse yourself if it’s going bad. Get that one date in and it could turn into marital bill for the rest of your days!

So, I ask you this question now that you know the answer: Does Anyone Have to Be Single Anymore?

1. Infidelity, Addiction, Abuse, Excessive Arguing, Bullying: If any of these apply to you or your relationship, you don’t need to read the rest of this article. These alone are enough reason to break-up with anyone. Do not feel like you “have” to stay in the relationship if any of these things are going on. You deserve better!

2. Your partner doesn’t listen to you or pay attention to you.

3. Your partner will not talk to you about things that are on his or her mind.

4. You find yourself wanting to make new friends or think a lot about how much you enjoyed being single.

5. Your partner has annoying habits that you can not forgive them for or live with for the rest of your life without going nutty.

6. You dread the thought of spending time with them, or think you’d have more fun sitting alone in your room all night.

7. You often feel used by your partner and there is not an equal exchange of give and take.

8. You don’t share common goals or future plans.

9.  You find yourself feeling either overly jealous or insecure about your partner spending time with friends of the opposite sex, or perhaps the complete opposite – you are completely apathetic about it.

10.  You find yourself reading articles like this one online. You already may know it in your heart, but need some kind of affirmation in your decision.

If you find three or more things on this list to be true, it very well could be time to break up. Think about it very clearly and try to weigh the pros and the cons. Plan what it will be like without that person in your life anymore. Think of what you will do with your new found freedom.

If you are still doubtful, you can also always consider counseling or trying to talk with your partner to see why you feel the way you do. If these things don’t work after a few months, then it may be time to say those good-byes before you waste your life anymore on someone who isn’t right for you.