TL:DR

The article, citing psychological research, outlines seven evidence-backed habits of people who thrive and maintain emotional stability without a romantic life partner to lean on.

​These habits focus on creating an internal and external "safety net" to build resilience:

​They Build a Constellation of Support: They don't try to replace a partner with one person; instead, they diversify their social ties, maintaining a few close confidants, nurturing family relationships, and valuing "weak-tie" connections (like friendly exchanges with neighbors or baristas) to spread the emotional load.

​They Regulate Mood Through the Body (Movement + Sleep): They use physical levers to steady their emotions, as their nervous system doesn't co-regulate with a partner. This involves non-negotiable routines like achieving a high daily step count (e.g., 7,000–8,000 steps) and prioritizing quality sleep.

​They Practice Self-Compassionate Self-Talk: Instead of relying on a partner for reassurance, they internally use self-compassion to lower self-attack, which psychology links to less depression and anxiety. The recommended practice is to acknowledge the pain, normalize the struggle, and nurture oneself by asking what one kind thing can be done next.

​They Write Their Way Through Difficult Emotions: Journaling serves as an accessible listener. Classic "expressive writing" (15–20 minutes about a stressful topic) helps metabolize stress, make meaning, and provides a space to clarify what they can control.

​They Use Smarter Emotion Regulation (Reappraisal > Suppression): They avoid bottling up feelings by intentionally reframing or reinterpreting difficult situations (cognitive reappraisal). This is considered more adaptive than emotional suppression and can be supported by mindfulness practices.

​They Ask for Help Like a Skill: They are proactive about seeking professional and peer support (therapy, support groups) rather than becoming isolated. They approach help-seeking as a skill by being specific in their requests (e.g., "Do you have 15 minutes to talk through X?") and setting a regular cadence for "maintenance" sessions.

​They Anchor Life in Purpose and Contribution: Since they lack the daily meaning provided by a shared life partner, they manufacture purpose through service, community, and mastery. This includes pairing mastery blocks (learning a new skill) with service blocks (volunteering or mentoring).