With the start of fall also comes the start of “cuffing season,” the period of the year where single people find themselves wanting to be “cuffed” or tied down in a serious relationship.

The fear of being lonely seems to be a guiding factor in the quest for companionship. Forcing feelings and emotions instead of harnessing mutual respect and admiration feels very prevalent in many communities. As the holidays approach, robotic and superficial relationships will become more apparent as individuals create partnerships simply to show off for social media or bring them home to their families for Christmas dinner.

It’s not bad to want to try a relationship out with someone just for the fun of it, but you should not feel obligated to do so because of the opinions of others. Instead of telling people that they need to get into a relationship or that it’s weird to not want a relationship, it’s necessary for society to stop dictating the pace when it comes to personal desires. It is completely fine to not want to a romantic partner, and it is okay to be alone. In life, there will be many times when people try to impose their rules on others but it is important to remember that the actions of others do not determine your destiny and fate. Only you can decide what you want. Sure, some of our decisions can be motivated or inspired by the actions of others, but we should never feel pressured to do something simply because society tells us we should, especially when it comes to relationships.

So, if you’re single, embrace it.

Do not rush into a relationship or a partnership because you’re scared of being alone. Don’t let others make you feel like there is something wrong with you because you don’t want to get a relationship or even a marriage just yet or if you don’t want those things at all. Your only priority is to do things that make you happy, and personally, getting into a relationship simply because you feel pressured to do so, is not my definition of happiness.

While we may be bombarded on social media with all those #relationshipgoals posts, do not feel alone or defective because you haven’t found someone just yet or if you have no interest in finding someone at all. Let your life happen and put your energy into people and activities that help you grow and bring you joy, and if doing that brings a very special person into your life, then great, but never make that your top priority.

Never forget that one of the best relationships you can foster in this life is the one with yourself, and hopefully that inner peace will bring other amazing, like-minded people into your life who are not motivated by their desire to be “cuffed” but rather, their desire to know you.