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You know a marriage proposal is coming. But that knowledge is both a blessing and a curse. (After all, no one likes to wait.)
You don’t have to twiddle your thumbs anxiously awaiting his or her sweet words, however. As relationship and etiquette expert April Masini says, “when you’re trying not to do something — like blurt out, ‘hurry up, already!’ or ‘I can’t wait for you to propose to me!’ — it’s best to keep yourself preoccupied and distracted.” And we’ve got five suggestions for how you can spend your time — activities that will take your mind off what you’re waiting for and make you better for doing them.
1. Be social, and enjoy being single.
According to Laura L. Ryan, licensed marriage and family therapist, now’s the time to take advantage of your single life. “Do things that you will not be able to do when you are someone’s wife,” she says, suggesting dancing, an all-night karaoke session, hitting a coffee shop by yourself and hunkering down with a good book, or watching back-to-back episodes of The Bachelor. As Ryan says, “when you are sharing your life with another person, you will lose some of these freedoms, so make the most of your remaining time as a single person.”
2. Learn what it takes to make a marriage succeed.
When you’re waiting for a proposal, it’s easy to focus your energy on planning your future wedding. Instead, Alexandra H. Solomon, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and Loving Bravely: 20 Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Find an Keep the Love You Want, suggests spending this time planning your marriage. “There are so many great books out there about what it takes to create a successful marriage,” Solomon says. “Spend a little time daydreaming with bridal magazines, and a lot of time with books, articles and videos about marriage.”
3. Get yourself in tip-top financial shape.
If you’re in debt or struggling financially, Amber Kelleher-Andrews, matchmaker for NBC’s Ready For Love, suggests using this time to try to dig yourself out. “Remember that when you marry you are also marrying each other’s financial obligations, debts and credit scores, as well as benefits,” she says. “The more together you are financially, the more attractive you are to your prospective spouse — and vice versa.”
See More: 6 Thoughts Every Girl Has When Waiting for Him to Put a Ring On It
4. Get organized.
Organizing your desk drawers may not sound like a pleasant way to pass the time. But Masini says that clearing the clutter and getting organized can actually help the time fly, all while keeping you occupied in a super-productive endeavor. “Whether it’s cleaning closets, doing tax prep, or applying some feng shui to the garage, you can do good while creating space for all those wedding gifts to come, all by simply getting your life organized,” she says.
5. Practice self-care.
Solomon says that in order to create a happy twosome, you have be a healthy by your lonesome. So, take this time to practice self-care and get into the healthiest emotional and physical shape you can. “Some examples of self-care include yoga, meditation, journaling, going for a walk, reading, taking a hot bath, and calling a friend,” she says. “What you do to take care of yourself doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you have a menu of uplifting options for tending to you. Weddings have a way of kicking up all sorts of emotional dust, so having your self-care tool box ready is important.”