Happy Living Alone

I'm the quiet one in a family of people who love to talk. Because of this, I LOVE living alone. I love being alone. When I have the house to myself it's like I bathe in the silence the way some people like to bake themselves in the sun. The world is much lovelier in silence.

I know not everyone likes being or living alone. Of course, the people who talk a lot must find it hard to not have someone to share everything with. But, that's not me.

Sure I talk to myself a bit. It's so seldom I get to speak without being interrupted. I like hearing myself complete a sentence, even a whole thought.

Of course, this won't work for everyone. Some people are just social animals, true extroverts who need to have other people around in order for themselves to shine. I don't really and truly understand that but I try to.

• Keep making plans. Have new things to do. Don't put yourself on the shelf just because you don't have someone else around each day.
• Don't slack off. Take up exercising. It's a good way to spend time with a group of people plus it keeps you active.
• Know you are good enough by yourself. You don't need approval or feedback from others to be a complete person - you are a complete person just as you are.
• Put yourself, your opinions, your ideas and your values first. You don't have to ignore all that free advice, but consider your own judgements first, give yourself top priority.
• Become an observer. You don't have to comment on everything, you don't have to participate in everything but you should take an interest to at least learn a bit about everything. Participate in your own life rather than taking a back seat.
• Appreciate the silence. Soak in the delicious soothing calm of life without extra sound bouncing around from wall to wall inside your head and out.
• Enjoy a conversation with just yourself. Don't feel you have to obey some rule about what's normal. It doesn't hurt anyone for you to talk to yourself.
• Be grateful for what you have. Don't fall into becoming a pessimist. See what you have, right in front of you. Look for the good things and that's what you will find/ see.
• Value the people you have in your life and the people you meet just once. Don't be stingy with smiles, waves and hellos.
• Treat yourself. Cook yourself a great dinner at home. Go to bed early or sleep in - just because you can (and you have the whole bed to yourself). Give yourself a spa weekend, in your own place. Do things to please yourself, honour yourself.
• Create your living space to your own taste and style. Give yourself the best reading nook ever, the most luxurious bathroom or well stocked kitchen - make your home suit your personal interests and the person you are.
• Avoid bad habits like smoking, too much drinking, etc. You won't have anyone to notice you're smoking or drinking too much and we tend to make excuses or ignore something like that ourselves.
• Don't stagnate. Rearrange, redecorate and switch things around. It's nice to have something new in your day to day life.
• Don't buy endless stuff. Think about what you really need and want - avoid clutter which could too easily lead to hoarding and having more stuff than you can use or even managed to deal with.
• Be creative. Bring new things into your life, take on fresh projects, learn new crafts and ideas. The nice thing about being creative and alone is doing it all to please yourself, do it all your way.
• Don't become a TV couch potato or someone who only interacts with other people through the Internet. If you keep yourself shut away you could end up being a shut in, someone uncomfortable with being out in the world, meeting new people. Don't let yourself become afraid of life and people outside the safety of your front door.
• Keep track of your own achievements. When you don't have people to give you congratulations or feedback you need to know yourself and feel good about what you have done and done well.
• When you have a plan for the day or the future you can begin right away. Don't delay. You don't need to get the ok from someone else, you don't have to change your plans to suit someone else, so start making them.
• Go out for coffee, go out for a movie and go out for dinner, alone. I like to bring a book and people watch too, especially if I get a seat with a view outside.
• If you don't want to be alone, you don't have to. Volunteer, get together with family and friends. There are always people who will be happy to find a use for any time you can give them.