Society has convinced women that being single is a bad thing, that our worth is placed on our relationship status, and that is wrong. Your worth does not lie in

whether you have a man at your side or not, it lies in your happiness. And you won't be happy if you are settling - what does that mean? At the

fear of liking a man more than he likes you, women settle into a relationship where they think they'll have the upper hand, thinking they won't get hurt if the other

person is more invested in the relationship. Being with a man, just any man for the sake of validating your worth as woman won't ever bring you happiness.

Being single can be a great thing and if it provides you with happiness, that's all you need. It is much better than being with a man who doesn't make you

happy only because you want your relationship status to say taken. That status does not define you and being single is NOT bad. Women who are so smart settle for men

who don't appreciate their intelligence and then stop being their vibrant selves. Just because he brings you flowers doesn't mean it's okay for him not to appreciate your mind. Be

with someone who does both.

Settling has become a shortcut, or rather the easy way out for women to avoid looking for the right person, because it's just easier to be with this guy. You want

someone who has similar hopes and dreams but is different enough to challenge you and keep you learning all your life. Sometimes when you get to a point where you

have dated a lot, or feel the pressure of family, or see everyone around you getting engaged you begin to think you're too picky and that the problem is you.

That's not the case, not at all.

Sometimes settling comes with the idea of change - that you will change yourself or change him. This isn't the right guy for you, but it works, and he's not that

bad. So you try, and you adjust to doing things he likes, or you get into fights trying to convince him to do what you want. In the end you

end up miserable because you're not happy with him but you're afraid someone better may not come along. Guess what? Just like this guy would probably be better suited for

another woman, you're meant for another guy - one that appreciates you and cares about you.

We've become afraid of being alone, which is different than being single. Single is a title, but being lonely is a feeling and not a pleasant one. Many times we

can handle being alone and we enjoy it, reveling in our independence and self-reliability. But when that sense of being alone becomes loneliness it can be daunting. Loneliness can lead to

poor decision making, like settling into a relationship with a man who you know isn't right for you just because you have the comfort of not being alone. Is the trade off

worth it - no, absolutely not! Wait for the man who you don't have to settle for otherwise you'll wind up on the couch with someone and still feel lonely.

Just because every celeb and musician seems to be singing about love and talking about their love lives, doesn't mean you should rush into something you're not ready for is

isn't the right fit.

When Celine Dion sang, "Loved Me Back To Life" she reminded us that a partner should prop you up, love, and support you, not be a stand in

because you thought you couldn't find better. The right guy is there, just wait and see.