Ashley Jamesさんのインスタグラム写真 - (Ashley JamesInstagram)「Being single for so long taught me a lot about how to be a good friend. 💕 One of the best things about being single for 6 years was learning what it means to be a good friend (& what it is to be a selfish one too). Once I stopped putting all my energy into someone I barely knew because I felt I had "so much love to give and no one to give it to" and put all that into my friendships, I not only formed better friendships, but also transformed my life. I stopped waiting to meet a stranger before I started doing all the things I wanted to do, and started just going out and doing them. One thing that was difficult though was how many friends 'left me behind' when they entered new relationships. Suddenly our calls became less frequent, they'd start to cancel more, & then suddenly they suggest they can meet up on one specific day when their partner has plans. You basically become a filler for them so they aren't lonely. People talk a lot about single people being 'bitter' or 'selfish', but there's nothing more selfish than ditching your mates. I'll put my hands up, I definitely used to be that girl in a relationship in my early years. I remember being on nights out with friends and then suddenly making excuses to leave the moment I knew my boyfriend was back from his boy's night out. It's mad that this type of behaviour is normalized, not to mention the fact that arranging all your plans around your partner is usually a sign of a codependent or unhealthy relationship (obviously I understand that when you have children there does have to be a bit more planning). ✋🏼 It's healthy to have lives independent of each other, but also your friends deserve more love and respect. They were there for you before your relationship, they're there for you during, and they'll be there for you if there's an after too! 👯‍♀️❤️ I promised myself that if I ever got into a relationship again I would not treat my friends any differently. So much so that they were still invited to my Valentine's dinner party (Tommy invited his too). ❤️ Anyway, if you do find yourself feeling ditched and lonely,' go out and do the things you love anyway, and you'll meet new like-minded people. 👯‍♀️」9月29日 20時20分