In your twenties? Ready to settle down? But wait – there’s a whole world out there for you to explore, and maybe long-term romance shouldn’t be the first thing on your mind. Everyone wants to feel adored by another, but if you’re planning your wedding instead of your thirtieth birthday- are you moving too fast? Pacing yourself in life is a key factor in success. If you don’t believe me, here are ten good reasons why you shouldn’t settle down just yet:

1. You Need To Focus On Yourself Before You’ll Be Anyone’s Ideal Partner. How many times have you heard the saying, “You can’t love anyone until you love yourself”? Well, it’s absolutely true. If you really want to make someone happy, you yourself must be in a good place. A great place, rather. You need to be in a great place physically, emotionally, mentally, financially – the list goes on. Master that list first, before you set off to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right. Set yourself achievable goals and a realistic time frame. When we’re in love, we become so consumed with the relationship that often our bigger dreams are pushed to the side. Find out what it is that makes you happy and never be willing to compromise.

2. Settling Down Young Is Old-Fashioned. Welcome to the modern day where ladies can actually live a life before settling down. We can now have careers and aspirations first, that don’t revolve around being just a housewife. You might feel nagged by relatives when you begin approaching your late twenties without a ring on your finger but hey this is the 21st century after all.

3. Your Independence Will Become Your Most Attractive Quality. You know that guy that everyone swoons after? The one who just can’t be tied down? That could be you. There are few qualities as endearing as being able to stand on your own two feet and owning your life. If you worship your own independence then you will never have to settle for anything less than perfect. You won’t feel as though you need someone to make you happy, therefore you will have higher standards and ultimately a much better partnership with someone.

4. You Need To Kiss A Lot More Frogs. Mistakes are there for us to make. Imagine going through life without setting a foot wrong or learning any valuable life lessons along the way – it’s too much to miss out on. Finding your dream partner is a numbers game. Your one true love is not the first person you fall for but the one who came into life when you were truly ready to let someone in. Constantly ask yourself, “Who is my dream partner?” and then enjoy the long hunt for the perfect one. Every frog kissed gets you that much closer.

5. You Will Understand That There Is No Rush. Don’t look back on your life feeling as if you made a decision just because social pressures and expectations told you to. You are going to save yourself a lot of heartbreak by always putting yourself and your own happiness first. Sure falling into the arms of attractive guys is not without it’s thrills but make sure they are aware that you are still Miss Independent and not expecting any form of long-term commitment. The tricky part? They will want you even more.

6. You Need To Really See The World. Unlike generations before us, we are now more connected socially with the world than ever. Who is to say that your true love is the guy who grew up down the road from you? Seeking out adventure will allow you to explore many different options. Travelling solo can really help you grow a network of friends that will stay with you for life. Then when your big day finally comes you can expect guests to arrive from all over the globe which is an exciting thought.

7. You Understand Guys Need A Lot Longer To Really Grow Up. In a study which featured on CounselHeal.com, they had discovered that men mature a lot later than women. We reach complete maturity at 32-years-old whereas men don’t fully mature until their late 30’s. There’s no point in settling down with a man who is in his twenties as you won’t be seeing the real them for awhile. In short – your partner will change drastically with their emotions and you might not find this favourable. So cut yourself a break and wait for the real deal later down the road.

8. You Need To Fully Understand The Importance Of Friendship. Your real friends will be there for you no matter how many times you break-up with a guy. Learning the true value of loyalty and commitment from your closest buddies will also help you set up the right expectations in a romantic relationship. Spending your twenties attending parties, going on girly trips and having a wild time will guarantee you no regrets when you’re older that you never truly lived.

9. You Need To Find Your True, Whole Self. If no other judgement was holding you back then what would you do with your life? Finding out who you truly are before settling down will help you make the right decisions in life. If you want to have a career which involves travelling around the world then don’t settle for someone who needs you home all the time. Find out what really inspires you and follow that path. Eventually you will meet a like-minded partner who will understand exactly what you want out of life and they will support you.

10. You Can Wait For The ‘Real Thing’. You are better off staying single for a long time instead of falling into emotionally exhausting relationships time after time. You don’t have to explain your actions to anyone or worry about what people may think of you still being single – just tell them you are waiting for the ‘real thing’. When you are in a relationship you change who you are as a person, your needs are suddenly less of a priority and now you have to think of someone else. When you find the right person who can grow with you as a person then you know you really are onto a winner and it was all worth the wait. The smartest people are the ones who stay single until they find someone they feel fuck yes about.