Whether you’re living alone or just spending more time by yourself, being all on your own can be a challenge. However, being alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely. In fact, spending time by yourself can be an incredibly rewarding experience, and is the perfect time for personal growth.
Here are five ways to find happiness on your own!
1. Pursue your passion
Being alone gives you no excuses not to pursue your passions and follow your dreams. There’s no one distracting you, no one to compromise with, and no one to tell you it’s not worth it (except yourself). Many people never have this opportunity: embrace it and go for it!
2. Make personal growth a priority
There’s no way around it – real personal growth requires spending extended periods of time alone without distractions. Use your alone time to journal, read things that inspire or challenge you, and stretch yourself in new ways and directions that will lead to your desired state of being.
3. Take care of yourself and your space
Especially when we live alone, it becomes easier to neglect practices related to appearance, hygiene and cleanliness. Maybe we used to dress up for partners, friends or family members, or had a partner or roommate who motivated us to clean. Whatever the case, being alone is not a good excuse to stop these healthy practices!
Learn to dress up, re-decorate, shave and visit the gym for your own sake.
4. Don’t consume mindlessly
Again, when we’re alone, there’s no one else to hold us accountable. This makes it way easier to consume things in excess—from junk food and alcohol to TV series on Netflix—that are not healthy or in our best interest. Remember that these indulgences are simply distractions; they will not lead to real happiness!
Monitor yourself and be mindful of what you consume, even when you’re alone.
5. Be your own best friend
No, you don’t need to ask others for advice, or follow the advice they give unasked. When you trust yourself to be your own best friend and solve your own problems, you may find yourself taking on and accomplishing challenges you can’t even imagine right now.
Being your own best friend also means learning how to talk to yourself. When your mind thinks negative or disparaging things, counter it with affirmations of how awesome you are, like a best friend would.
Although some people would tell you otherwise, it’s perfectly possible to find health and happiness on your own. In fact, there’s a real sense of pride that comes along with it, as you learn to thrive and flourish all by yourself, which many people never have the opportunity to discover.
Don’t be afraid to fully embrace this time by yourself and thrive!
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackie-pilossoph/being-alone-after-divorce_b_3560504.html
http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/ways-to-be-happy-alone
http://thenectarcollective.com/2013/10/5-tips-how-to-be-happy-alone
