If you are considering living alone, I can tell you that it can be a mix of emotions! 

You probably feel hesitant and uncertain about making that jump, but you probably also feel excited and determined for this new start. Let me tell you, it’s worth it! 

When you live alone, you’ll definitely feel freedom, boredom, loneliness, and peace all at different times throughout your experience. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions with this journey!

There is so much value in living alone.

Even if it’s only for one year that you decide to live alone, you can develop so much from that experience.

 Now, we’ll discuss the benefits of living alone that people may forget to consider!

1) You learn how to be independent.

Living alone requires you to do things on your own. You can’t depend on anyone to do the work you want to be done.

For instance, you don’t have a roommate to help you cook dinner nor do you have someone to help you take out the garbage.

Everything is on you.

Essentially, if you’re not used to doing things by yourself, then this will be a stepping stone for you.  

2) You discover new hobbies or interests.

When you give yourself that space from others, it allows you to discover new hobbies and interests! As you live alone, you will realize that you have so much time on your hands. This would be the perfect time to find new interests!

Normally, we limit our hobbies to what we grew up knowing, but when you take some time to search for new hobbies, you will be amazed at the variety of hobbies you can start. If you find yourself bored on your own, here are some hobbies to consider:

• Reading
• Metal Puzzles (brain teasers)
• Embroidery kit for beginners
• Workout
• Growing plants
• Baking
• Journaling
• Yoga

 A new hobby requires you to learn, and that activates new brain cells, thus, is why I consider this a benefit. I can’t remember exactly which motivational speaker had talked about the correlation between learning and new brain cells, but when I find the source of which speaker I heard it from, I’ll link it!

3) You learn how to listen to your own voice.

I mean, obviously, you are always making your own choices but influence from others comes in very subtle. You don’t have the influence of other people steering you in any direction. 

For example:

When you live by yourself, who decides what you’re going to eat today?

You.

Maybe you wanted to eat tacos, but your roommate is craving sushi, so you guys end up going out for sushi just because it’s easier to agree. However, if you were alone, you would’ve just gone for your tacos because you didn’t have to consider anyone else’s choice. 

Simple as that, and that is what I mean when I say influence is very subtle. 

When you are surrounded by people, you sometimes get lost in agreeing with the majority, which may not have been the choice you would have made if you were alone. So when you allow yourself to have that space and time, you get to listen to your own voice. No one can oppose.

4) You only have to worry about yourself.

When you live with other people, you typically have to consider their feelings and include them in your choices.

If you cook dinner, you should make enough for everyone to eat. If you watch tv, you should find something you both will enjoy watching. When you do your morning routine, you have to work around bathroom times so everyone can go about their day.

And some of those examples don’t have to be considered if you guys don’t share any food or activities together, but even so, the majority of the time, you have to be considerate of the others.

So when you live by yourself, you don’t have to work around anyone’s schedule or make a meal large enough for all.

Quite frankly, you only have to think about yourself. 

5) You can better focus on your goals.

When you live by yourself, it somehow seems like you end up gaining so much more spare time to your day.

With the amount of time that you have by yourself, you can better focus on what YOU want in life, and have time to work towards that.

You’re not influenced by others to party all weekend long or tag along in THEIR day.

With less distraction, your influence is solely your own. 

Hence, living alone truly is the best time to focus on yourself and your goals. 

SUMMARY: 

The five simple benefits mentioned above are spoken from my personal experience, so it may be subjective to your own personal experience!

I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and live on your own for at least one year! See what you can learn about yourself and from that experience. You might be surprised!

If you think that living alone will be too lonely, then that is what it will end up being. Or if you think that living alone is unnecessary for growth, then that will be true for you.

Whatever you think the experience will be, is how you will manifest it into reality.