The Sprightly Spud

Finding love in the era of online dating, social media scandals, and unrealistic perceptions of the ‘ideal’ body type can only be described as a minefield. It goes without saying that there are success stories of giddily romantic encounters and enduring relationships founded as a result of modern-day matchmaking facilities, but there’s equally as many blood-curdling tales of stalking, gaslighting and dinner disasters. The days of meeting your lifelong partner at a local dance that our grandparents hark back to are, sadly, gone.

If you are lucky enough to be in a loving partnership, then good for you. However, the complexities of modern life mean many of us are opting for single life instead. In the first instance, careers often drag us across the country, meaning stability is a privilege, and thus holding down a relationship becomes significantly more difficult. What’s more, some of us are simply choosing to prioritise ourselves, striving for success in the workplace, socially, or in physical endeavours like marathons or triathlons. In addition to all this, we are subjected to a barrage of opinions on the right way to find, and ‘do’, ‘love’ – making it easier to just avoid the thing all together.

Long story short, we might just be in the era of dating ourselves.

This series features a selection of ideas which enable you to regale in the joy of your own company, and treat independence as a form of self-care.