When you're single and searching for someone you actually click with, the topic of settling comes up a lot. Whether you discuss it with your girlfriends over Friday night glasses of wine or just think about it yourself, settling can be totally terrifying to some people and a legitimate option to others. But settling doesn't always work out very well. It usually means you end up with someone that you don't actually feel a spark with, and why would you want to do that? Here's why you need to stop being afraid of being alone and start being afraid of being with the wrong person.

1. It's Lonelier To Be With The Wrong Guy

Consider the emotions you experience when you're enjoying your own company - a sense of liberation, satisfaction, and assurance. Now, compare that to the emotions you feel when you've recently developed feelings for someone - a profound and absolute happiness and enthusiasm. However, when you're with the wrong person, you don't experience any of these emotions. Instead, you feel a distinct form of loneliness - despite being in the company of someone, you feel isolated. This sensation is even more painful than being single.

2. Being Alone Can Be Hopeful

Being single can be a wonderful experience. It gives you the freedom to envision that your next date may lead you to find "The One" (or at least a promising second date), and that anything is possible. The uncertainty of what the future holds is exhilarating. Rather than forcing yourself into a relationship with someone you don't even care for, solely for the sake of having a boyfriend, it's important to relish this time and enjoy it to the fullest.

3. You Don't Want To Feel Trapped

If you are in a relationship with the right partner and go through all the customary steps, you will be enthusiastic about it because it is what you genuinely desire. However, if you are with the wrong person, you will only feel trapped. You may begin to attribute your resentment towards societal pressure for cohabitation and marriage, when in reality, it is the individual you are with that is the root of the problem. To avoid this, do not let yourself fall into such a situation.

4. YOLO, As All The Cool Kids Say

Do you really want to spend your youth with a guy you're lukewarm about? Wouldn't it be better to be single, hang with your friends, fill up your calendar, devote yourself to work, and wait for someone that is truly special?

5. It's Not The 1950s

We live in an age where we have access to iPhones, iPads, and amazing entertainment options like Netflix. This means that we don't need to rush into marriage and can choose to pursue education or build our careers. Compared to women in the past, we have so many opportunities available to us. Therefore, it would be a waste to settle for the first man who shows an interest in us. Take advantage of the freedom and opportunities that are now available to you.

6. It'll Be Harder To Leave Later

When you've been in a relationship for a month but don't feel any chemistry, it's better to end things now than to wait two years and find yourself practically engaged. As time passes, you may become dependent on your partner and get too comfortable with the situation. Life can be challenging enough as it is, so there's no need to make your love life even more complicated and difficult.

7. You Both Deserve Better

Staying with a guy when you're not fully invested in him isn't fair. You wouldn't want someone to do that to you, would you? It's best for both parties to hold off and wait for a more suitable situation. This also gives him the opportunity to do the same, which is the appropriate course of action.

8. You'll Get Weird Looks And Questions

If you date someone you're not really into, people will notice - from your closest friends to distant relatives. They may question why you don't seem thrilled about the relationship or why you don't bring him up in casual conversation. It's hard to hide lukewarm feelings, so it's better to end things.

9. Patience Works Wonders

Finding the right person requires patience and time, and although the exact moment may be uncertain, the process is worthwhile. It can be frustrating to wait when you have someone else on your mind, but isn't it worth waiting for true love? Taking a few more months of being single is a small price to pay for something so significant. When you finally find your ideal partner, you'll be grateful you didn't settle for anything less. That's how it should be.