When you’ve had the privilege of experiencing a romantic relationship or marriage with someone, it can be very difficult to find yourself without that special person in your life anymore. As I’ve said before,  romantic ideas are addicting . . . and the pain that we feel when we go through a difficult breakup or divorce can initially feel debilitating. When there’s no wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend around anymore to have fun with and dedicate your life to, it can feel as though you’ll never find true romance again.

It may feel that way, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With patience and optimism, a truly romantic person will find someone with whom to share love again. But if you’re the romantic type, why wait until you find another lover to live a life of romance? Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you have to stop being a romantic person. Remember: even single people can live romantic lives, and doing so is great practice for the time when you do have someone to share it with.

Sure, living a romantic life is more fulfilling with a lover to focus your efforts on. But peppering your single life with romantic touches and romantic inspiration is refreshing, rejuvenating and a great exercise to hone your romantic skills.

What kind of romantic touches am I talking about? Well, I certainly don’t mean to imagine that you have a boyfriend or girlfriend to pretend you are taking that person out on a date. At the heart of romance is patience, beauty, and caring about someone else’s wellbeing more than you care about your own. These are all qualities that will bring you great rewards by introducing them into your single life.

Did you enjoy bringing your sweetheart fresh flowers when you were together? Then why stop buying flowers? Putting a bouquet in a vase at home might not be the same as handing them to a lover, but it can brighten your day. And if you enjoyed romantic reading with your lover or walks in particularly beautiful places, you shouldn’t let the end of the relationship mean the end to those activities.

The truly romantic person doesn’t really need an object of affection to live a life of romance. You’ll find ways to live a romantically life through kindness and understanding to others, by injecting random beauty into your life, and by encouraging others to bring romance into their lives.

Remember, the goal of living a romantic life as a single person is to practice and be better prepared to love that next special someone! No one is encouraging you to live alone for the rest of your life. But by making sure that a little romance and beauty is present in your day-to-day life, you’ll be ready to dive into the next romantic relationship when it does come along.

So if you had love in your life and lost it, try hard to not become bitter or stop doing the romantic things you once loved doing. Add a little romance to your single life, and you’ll quickly discover that you are happier, more content, and more prepared for the next great adventure in romance.