# Single in Your 40s > On being single in your forties: after a long relationship, by choice, or somewhere in between. Single in Your 40s is for people who are single in midlife and want writing that treats that as a life, not a gap. Every article is sourced and checked. Part of the BUMIS network. General information, not therapy. Publisher: BUMIS (https://getbumis.com). BUMIS: Your Dating Mirror, a private app for seeing your own dating patterns. Every article lists its sources, author, publish date and last-updated date. General information, not therapy or professional advice. ## Articles - [Can you be single in your 40s and genuinely doing well?](https://singleinyour40s.com/a-full-life/single-in-your-40s-and-doing-well/): Yes. Research finds many single adults thrive, and the ones who do tend to have strong ties, a life they value now, and little fear of being alone. (A full life, updated 2026-10-01) ## Further reading (other publishers) Hand-picked outside sources we point readers to. Linked, not copied. - [A profile of single Americans](https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/08/20/a-profile-of-single-americans/): Pew Research Center, 2020. Shows who is single in the US, how many are not looking to date, and the reasons they give. - [There's pressure to be partnered. Here's how to enjoy single life](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1070682848): NPR (Life Kit). A grounded conversation about pushing back on the pressure to pair up and building a satisfying single life. - [How To Get Over a Breakup: 11 Tips for Healing](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-get-over-a-breakup): Cleveland Clinic. Clinician-reviewed steps for handling the loneliness and identity loss that follow a breakup. - [One Key to Being Happy When You're Single](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/one_key_to_being_happy_when_youre_single): Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley. Research on how social activity shapes happiness for single people, sometimes more than for married people. - [Why is it so hard for adults to make friends? With Marisa Franco, PhD](https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/adult-friendships): American Psychological Association (Speaking of Psychology). A psychologist explains why adult friendship takes deliberate effort and how to fit it into a busy life. - [12 Clear Signs You Are Ready to Date Again After a Breakup](https://www.gottman.com/blog/12-clear-signs-you-are-ready-to-date-again/): The Gottman Institute. A checklist for judging emotional readiness before you open the door to dating again. - [The full list, by topic](https://singleinyour40s.com/reading/) ## Tools - [8-question dating pattern check](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/): runs in the browser, stores nothing, returns one of 9 public pattern cards. - [Full Speed](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/full-speed/): You feel it early and you let yourself run with it. - [Slow Burn](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/slow-burn/): You wait until you are sure, and you are rarely sure early. - [Clear Sky](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/clear-sky/): Not knowing where you stand is the hardest part for you. - [Open Ended](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/open-ended/): You are comfortable letting things stay undefined. - [Home Pull](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/home-pull/): You are drawn to a feeling you already know. - [New Horizon](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/new-horizon/): You go looking for something different each time. - [Long Goodbye](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/long-goodbye/): You stay past the point where it stopped working. - [Clean Break](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/clean-break/): When it is over, you are gone. - [Even Keel](https://singleinyour40s.com/quiz/even-keel/): No single lean stands out in your answers. ## Experts - Bella DePaulo (Credentialed source): Research and writing on single life, including people who choose to stay single and live full lives on their own terms. Social psychologist (PhD, Harvard); academic affiliate, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, UC Santa Barbara. Profiles: X @belladepaulo (https://x.com/belladepaulo). Last checked 2026-10-01. - Kate Anthony (Trending voice): Coaching and podcast conversations for women deciding whether to stay in or leave a marriage, and rebuilding life after divorce. Profiles: Instagram @thedivorcesurvivalguide (https://www.instagram.com/thedivorcesurvivalguide/); TikTok @thedivorcesurvivalguide (https://www.tiktok.com/@thedivorcesurvivalguide). Last checked 2026-10-01. - Lori Gottlieb (Credentialed source): What happens in the therapy room, including breakups, dating choices and the stories people tell about love. Psychotherapist; author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and The Atlantic's Dear Therapist column. Profiles: Instagram @lorigottlieb_author (https://www.instagram.com/lorigottlieb_author/). Last checked 2026-10-01. - Marisa G. Franco (Credentialed source): Friendship, loneliness and belonging, and how adults make and keep close friends. Licensed counseling psychologist; PhD in Counseling Psychology, University of Maryland, where she teaches. Profiles: Instagram @drmarisagfranco (https://www.instagram.com/drmarisagfranco/). Last checked 2026-10-01. - Pepper Schwartz (Credentialed source): Research and writing on love, sex and relationships, including dating and partnership later in life. Sociologist (PhD, Yale); Professor Emerita of Sociology, University of Washington. Profiles: Instagram @dr_pepper_schwartz (https://www.instagram.com/dr_pepper_schwartz/). Last checked 2026-10-01. - Mark Groves (Trending voice): Relationship educator and podcast host who talks about codependent patterns, honesty, and building healthier connections. Profiles: Instagram @createthelove (https://www.instagram.com/createthelove/); TikTok @createthelove (https://www.tiktok.com/@createthelove). Last checked 2026-10-01. - Matthew Hussey (Trending voice): Dating and love life advice on raising your standards, confidence, and finding a partner, through his podcast, books and videos. Profiles: Instagram @thematthewhussey (https://www.instagram.com/thematthewhussey/); TikTok @thematthewhussey (https://www.tiktok.com/@thematthewhussey). Last checked 2026-10-01. - Paul C. Brunson (Trending voice): Matchmaker, TV host and author who talks about finding and keeping love, modern dating trends, and relationships at every stage of life. Profiles: Instagram @paulcbrunson (https://www.instagram.com/paulcbrunson/); TikTok @paulcbrunson (https://www.tiktok.com/@paulcbrunson). Last checked 2026-10-01. - [All experts and how we label them](https://singleinyour40s.com/experts/) ## About - [All articles, newest first](https://singleinyour40s.com/articles/) - [About Single in Your 40s](https://singleinyour40s.com/about/) ## Optional - [Full text of every article](https://singleinyour40s.com/llms-full.txt) - [Machine-readable catalog (JSON)](https://singleinyour40s.com/index.json) - [RSS](https://singleinyour40s.com/feed.xml) - [Sitemap](https://singleinyour40s.com/sitemap.xml)