As Valentine's Day approaches, if you are single, you may be wondering whether you may remain so forever. You may think that it's your destiny to be single. You may even question whether you are destined to be alone, if you somehow equate being single with being alone. After all, it's been how many years since high school and you still haven't found what you are looking for, in the words of that U2 song, right?

Well, be careful using the words "destined to be," especially when it comes to anything potentially negative. Sure, if you are making a peanut butter, mayonnaise, banana, and pickle sandwich, you may be destined for a tummy ache. But for anything in the longer term, don't assume that you are truly destined for some unavoidable fate. You never know when the right person may come into your life. Heck, who knows, the next person to say "Nice sandwich" could be your match. Believing that you have no choice or agency in the matter can keep you from exerting the effort needed to get what you want.

At the same time, it may be a good idea to check whether you are doing one or more of the following things that may be keeping you single:

This is pretty straightforward: You may get what you want, what you really, really want, in the immortal words of the Spice Girls. Deep down, do you prefer being single?........

© Psychology Today