When you get a divorce, there are going to be times that are so difficult you may be tempted to replace one bad love with another just because it gets you out of confronting the harsh reality of loneliness. But being single isn’t so bad. In fact, if you give it a chance, it can be the bomb. That’s something we were reminded of today while perusing the Huffington Post. The site shared 12 quotes that prove being single is a wonderful thing, and while they’re all worth checking out, these were the three that really stood out.

“You do not need to be loved, not at the cost of yourself. The single relationship that is truly central and crucial in a life is the relationship to the self. Of all the people you will know in a lifetime, you are the only one you will never lose.” 

– Jo Coudert

The poignancy of this quote really struck me and reminded me of the years following my own divorce right up until remarrying. I had to learn how to travel the long hard road of coming to love myself. I made mistakes along the way, and there were times that I failed. But I would have never been able to move on and find true happiness if I hadn’t taken the lumps and discovered strengths I never knew that I had. That can happen for you, too, after divorce. You just have to make a commitment to yourself that you will get there.

“I don’t like to be labeled as lonely just because I am alone.” 

–Delta Burke

There is a clear distinction between “alone” and “lonely.” People who learn to love themselves will never know loneliness.

“When I get lonely these days, I think: So be lonely, Liz. Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it. For once in your life, welcome to the human experience. But never again use another person’s body or emotions as a scratching post for your own unfulfilled yearnings.” 

–Elizabeth Gilbert

Many suggest never marrying the first one or two people you date after divorce because you’re not really in a healthy relationship. You’re looking for something you haven’t found yet. Unfortunately many people think they can find the missing piece in a new relationship, instead of realizing it’s been in themselves the whole time.

What are some quotes that have helped you make peace with the single life? Share your picks in the comments section!