How to Live Alone Happily

“I’m happy alone.” It seems less people are able to actually say this everyday in an age of instant connection, where (thanks to the internet) our lives thrive on constant communication with the outside world. It’s important to learn how to live alone happily. For some, the journey may be easy; for others, it may be the hardest thing you’ve ever attempted.

Learning to live alone is definitely more than just a lifestyle change; it actually involves changing your entire outlook on life. A common perception is that individuals who are usually by themselves suffer from social anxiety or depression. While this is certainly accurate in some situations, spending time alone actually presents you with the ideal chance to “meet” the real you. If you don’t love yourself as a person, then you won’t ever be truly happy alone.

Throughout this short article, we’re going to take a look at everything that goes into maintaining a healthy, single-person lifestyle. You can’t always control the situation around you, but you definitely can control your outlook. Even if you decide to return to a highly-social lifestyle, later on, the skills you learn from being alone can certainly do wonders for your mental well-being & self-confidence.

One of the most common things you’ll hear is, “I don’t like being alone.” Let’s take a look into that. It’s definitely a blanket statement, but there’s usually more behind it. Some of the common reasons people actually don’t like being alone include:

• Boredom

• Lack of a social life

• No support system

Another point people always mention is loneliness, but it’s important to know exactly what loneliness is. Loneliness is actually characterized by a lack of connection, often leaving the individual feeling empty on the inside. You can be constantly surrounded by people & still be lonely. Loneliness always depends on your mental state, not the situations you find yourself in. Being alone, on the other hand, necessarily doesn’t mean you’re lonely. In fact, many people are introverts: they prefer to spend time by themselves because they actually don’t enjoy excessive social interactions. That doesn’t mean they’re depressed or lonely. It simply means they’ve made a choice to step away from the crowds.

Of course, it’s definitely possible to be both alone & lonely. If you’re alone, your support system is limited. Essentially, you’re your own support system, so that’s why learning to love yourself is so important if you plan on maintaining a healthy, solitary existence.

If you don’t take the time to understand yourself, then you’ll struggle spending life alone. Think of the deep, personal conversations you share with close friends (or even the ones you’d never bring up). These are conversations you’ll want to mentally have with yourself. Even though you know yourself pretty well, chances are there are definitely some things you just take for granted without so much as a second consideration. The first step to happiness is learning to love yourself, so self-reflection is a solid place to start.

Once you know yourself a bit better, it’s time to look ahead into the future & make a plan. Where do you see yourself in one year? Five years? Ten? With these goals in mind, it’s time to make a plan. Although there certainly are some things you simply can’t do alone, you’ll find that most things can actually be accomplished by a single person, though they may require additional effort on your part.

Excluding work requirements, being alone is definitely a freeing experience. With no-one to answer to or schedules to accommodate to, you’re always free to spend your days as you please.

Of course, being alone also gives you the chance to completely decimate your health, so it’s important to keep making smart choices for your health. If your ex had you eat vegan 24/7, then sure you can eat at McDonald’s now—you’re a free person! Just keep your unhealthy habits in check & to a minimum. Being by yourself gives you complete freedom of choice, but freedom is actually both a blessing & a curse. This is why loving yourself is so important, because if you genuinely love yourself then you’ll likely make choices that will help push yourself forward, not backwards.

People who’ve been excluded from their friend group or went through a breakup usually don’t feel this way right off the bat, but that’s ok. It’s actually normal because adjustment takes time. It’s ok to take time to mourn what you’ve lost, but in order to learn to be happy alone, you must realize you don’t need that other person(s). Independence is the cornerstone of living a healthy solitary lifestyle, so you’ll need to get yourself to the point where you’re at peace with yourself. Once you internalize that, you’ll find that life will be much easier.

Often (& especially when you’ve just been broken up with or abandoned) it can be hard to see the silver linings, so we’re going to take a look at a few of the situations where you’ve become alone, see what you’re missing, & see what you’ve gained.

As you can see, each situation has its downside, but they also present you with a variety of opportunities for personal growth & self-control. Learning how to feel happy alone is important, but it’s vital that you learn how to stay happy alone as well. This is actually where hobbies can come in!

Whether you previously spent all of your time with your friends or with your ex boy/girlfriend, chances are you weren’t the one making all the shots. Groups require compromise to a certain extent; otherwise, frustration brews & people feel like their opinions aren’t valued. The great thing about being by yourself is that you’re not held back by these constraints, so you’re free to do as you please, whenever you want. Things like attending the movies alone are great for learning to love yourself & accustoming to being by yourself, but you should search for something you can actually do for a long time. Fortunately, there are literally thousands of hobbies you can pursue, so your options definitely aren’t limited.

Sometimes you end up being alone, & there’s nothing wrong with that. Whether it’s by the situation or by choice, here’s what’s important to always keep in mind as you go about your life alone.

Friends can be a great source of joy in your life, but they can also be a great source of stress. By not having any friends in your life, you’re sure to enjoy a much lower level of stress on a day-to-day basis. The main thing people tend to struggle with when they don’t have any friends is not having enough to do through the day. This is why picking up new hobbies is so important. Not only will they take up a lot of time, but they’ll also give you a chance to create something that may be appreciated by others. With some hobbies, like fishing or model trains, you can even create a Youtube channel so people can follow you online. This actually gives you a great chance to form friendly connections with people around the world.

Forever is a long time, but it’s also not set in stone. There’s always the chance for unseen events to happen in the future. For now, you shouldn’t focus on what may or may not happen ten years from now. The important thing is that you’re happy at the moment. Carpe diem, ever heard of it? By focusing on the moment, you’ll ensure you’ll love life & (even if you’re still alone many years down the road) be happy without needing external support from anyone else. You are actually the key to your own happiness, so put yourself first.

With the proper tools, surviving on your own is more than doable. Whether you’re just starting out on your journey alone or have been doing it for years, here are the three most important things to implement into your daily life for a happy existence.

• Routine. You’ll quickly tire out if you’re trying something new or starting from scratch every day. Establishing a routine is good because it gives you an idea of what to expect on a day-to-day basis but doesn’t limit your opportunities overall.

• Goals. These keep you motivated, so it’s important to have both short-term & long-term goals. As you complete them, you will feel accomplished, further motivating you along your journey.

• Change. You won’t want to do the same things forever. Changing your routine is helpful because it keeps you inspired and also opens you up to new opportunities & experiences.

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