Are you single and ready to mingle? You’re definitely not alone there. As it turns out, a record number of Americans reported themselves as single in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While there are plenty of people who choose to be single, there are many more people who are struggling to find the right person and are left to ask themselves why they are still single. To find an answer, we surveyed over 1,300 adults and asked them a series of questions, including whether or not they chose to remain single, whether they felt past relationships held them back in forging new ones, and why they thought they were still alone. According to the results of the survey, the answers might be found internally more than externally.
So who is to blame for being single? For many, that answer lies within. 65 percent of the participants in our survey blamed themselves, as opposed to external factors such as friends, family, and exes. Now, part of that is due to the fact that some people choose to be single. In fact, 48 percent of our study participants claimed that they choose to be single. However, only 17 percent said that they weren’t actively looking for a relationship. That still leaves a lot of people who no longer want to be single and blame themselves for not being able to find a meaningful relationship. The results of our survey point to the long-held belief that people have to learn to love themselves before they can establish those feelings for other people.
We asked men and women about which of their personality traits are contributing to them remaining single. While there were some small discrepancies between men and women in the top 10, the top 2 traits for both men and women were clear. Almost 45 percent of men and 44 percent of women attributed their single status to not being outgoing enough. Perhaps the biggest reason for someone not being outgoing came in at #2 on the list: low self-esteem. Not having a healthy level of self-esteem can have a very negative impact on how an individual interacts with others, and positive interaction is essential when it comes to establishing new and deeper relationships.
This theme of low self-esteem segued right into another question that we posed with our survey. We asked men and women to pinpoint which of their own physical traits they are most concerned about. While the bottom half of the top 10 varied between men and women, the top half definitely offered some insight into the similarities between the factors behind the levels of self-worth of the two genders. Almost 34 percent of men felt that their abs weren’t toned enough, while 28 percent felt that they were just too fat. Those results flipped for women, where more than 36 percent felt that they were too fat and 28 percent thought that their abs weren’t toned enough. The results of this portion of the survey were quite clear: body image, especially as it pertains to weight, plays a central role in how people see themselves. Therefore, it’s safe to conclude that a lot of people are concerned about how much they weigh, and that directly affects their self-esteem and how they interact with other people.
Dating apps and websites have helped to make dating less stressful, if not just more convenient. Whether it’s a simple task of swiping left or right, or filling out a comprehensive personality profile, these apps and websites are designed to remove the awkwardness of asking someone out on a date. People no longer have to feel anxiety over going on a blind date. They can now choose someone to meet up with based on their own tastes and preferences on what their ideal partner should look like, and it can go even deeper from there. You can now find a like-minded person based on profession, religion, favorite hobbies, and even political affiliation. This can all be done without so much as one word spoken before the first date. However, these apps and websites aren’t as widely-used as you might think. While more people (30 percent of women and almost 39 percent of men) are finding these dating sites useful in meeting new people over traditional places like bars and organized social events, these people are still outpaced by those who prefer to meet new people through their own friends. 55 percent of men and 60 percent of women respondents say that this is the best way to meet a prospective partner. Having a friend in common is a good way to lay the preliminary groundwork of a first date; you can learn quite a bit about a new person before meeting them. Yet, this doesn’t change the fact that you still have to eventually meet and get to know your date. Rather than swiping and hoping for the best, people still need to make a good impression; that can be very hard to do if you’re also fighting a low sense of self-worth.
With so much of our self-esteem tied up in body image, it’s essential to look and feel our best. The problem with weight loss is that there are too many diets and health trends to keep up with. At BodyLogicMD, we assess every client on a more intimate basis. By doing tests that determine your hormone levels, food insensitivities, and other factors combined with your medical history, you can obtain a clearer path to losing weight and feeling better about yourself. Contact your local BodyLogicMD office today, improve your personal body image, and feel confident about getting out there and meeting that special someone!
