Jacelyn Tay, Ya Hui and other celebs' empowering quotes on being single

You can’t be in a relationship without love, and the same goes for equality and respect. Unfortunately, women sometimes lose sight of their self-worth and value after getting into a relationship.

While it’s great (and important) to find a partner who sees you as an equal, it’s equally important to remind yourself that you are worth your weight in gold – with or without a partner.

In honour of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’ve put together some quotes from our favourite female celebs on being single and finding happiness within yourself.

Jacelyn Tay

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In November 2018, former local actress Jacelyn Tay broke the news about her divorce from her husband of eight years. In a heartfelt 2019 Instagram post, Jacelyn, who founded wellness Body Inc and is now a health coach wrote, “Don’t crave for love, don’t find a lover.

Be love, be the lover. You decide who you wanna love. You have the rights not to give love to somebody too. Choose wisely! And don’t try to love out of obligation, because that is no longer love.”

Ya Hui

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“My non-showbiz friends have tried to matchmake me. But you know, I don’t feel like going (to those matchmaking sessions). So I didn’t (in the end). They would keep asking me to come out (to meet guys), but I’m busy with work. Where got so much time?

I mean, let nature take its course. I think being single is also quite good. A lot of my friends who are attached have relationship problems. And after they get married, they quarrel over money and kids. So I think I’m fortunate,” the A Quest to Heal star told 8 Days in a 2017 interview.

Jolin Tsai

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“Never settle. You need to find someone you are absolutely in love with. Pay no mind to the naysayers. Don’t ever let them talk you into getting married for the sake of getting married,” said the 40-year-old Mandopop diva in a video interview with Chinese media company Le Yu in 2019. Jolin was previously in a high-profile 6 year-long relationship with model Vivan Dawson that came to an end in 2016.

Charmaine Sheh

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45-year-old Story of Yanxi Palace star Charmaine Sheh doesn’t regret having missed the opportunity to get married when she was younger. “If I didn’t get married then, it means that he was not suitable for me,” the former TVB actress revealed in a 2020 Chinese television show Shining Talks.

Grace Chow

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“I feel like no boys dare to pursue me after my breakup. But it’s okay. I don’t think girls should be so anxious in finding their significant other. You have to make yourself stronger and be the perfect version of yourself.

'Your significant other will appear one day,” the mainland social media influencer — who famously dated and dumped Taiwanese pop star Show Lo due to the latter’s womanising tendencies — told Chinese newspaper Ming Pao.

Ann Kok

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“I think I’ve passed the phase of getting married and having babies. I used to think that I want to get married…For that, I planned before, like probably in my late twenties or early thirties. Yeah, but it didn’t happen that way for me”, the local actress recalled to RazorTV in 2013. (Ann turned 48 in Jan 2021). “I have a very strong thing for my family.

''So, having a family is kind of like my dream. But it didn’t happen. So from there I try to get my attention away from that. Because it’s not easy to just keep thinking that oh.. I want to have a relationship, I want to get married.. you know all this and that.

''Even though my friends, it’s funny that they say ‘oh I just want to get married’ and then after that they get married so easily. Then how come that doesn’t happen to me? So, I just take it as probably well, that’s my life. If I have it, that’s a bonus. If I don’t have it, then it’s okay. To me, it doesn’t bother me anymore.”

Gong Hyo-jin

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“When I was in my twenties, I didn’t understand when my unnies [older female friends or sisters] would tell me, ‘Instead of getting caught up in love and giving it everything, just work hard on your career.’

There was a time when I thought, ‘Love is everything”…Looking back now, they were right. I have to first do my work well in order to receive lots of love. My own self has to be full,” the actress who famously dated actor Ryu Seung-bum said on the television programme House on Wheels in July 2020.

Cynthia Koh

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“People always ask me, “Oh, why are you not married?” But I chose not to get married, ’cos if I were to (get hitched), I would likely be divorced by now (laughs).

In the past, I was a very demanding person. So if I marry for the wrong reasons, it wouldn’t last,” the “My Star Bride” star revealed in an interview with 8 Days.

This article was first published in Her World Online.