Living alone can be an exciting and peaceful journey. You have the freedom to do anything you want, in the way you want. However, this independence comes with its own set of challenges and realities that you might not expect.
Although it may sound pleasant, living alone can be tough in reality. Whether you are a young adult or in your mid-thirties, navigating a solo lifestyle comes with many new experiences.
Financial Responsibility
When you live alone, all the bills fall squarely on your shoulders—grocery, electricity, rent, insurance, utilities, and others- and you must pay them all. If you are living with someone, you can split those bills to reduce your financial burden. However, living alone, you must learn the art of budgeting and financial planning.
Loneliness
While living alone gives you freedom and solitude, it can also lead to feeling of loneliness and isolation. At the end of the day, there is no one to share your thoughts with. You are alone with yourself, no one to hear or ask, ‘How was your day?’ or if you are upset about something.
Cooking For One
Preparing a meal for one person can be challenging. Even after measuring everything out, you often end up cooking more food than you need. This results in a lot of food wastage and may strain your grocery budget.
Safety Concern
When you are alone, you are solely responsible for your safety and security. You must learn to handle various dangers by yourself. Learning self-defence and taking precautions are essential to ensure your well-being.
Health Challenges
Taking care of yourself alone is essential, as no one else is going to do it for you. If you fall sick, no one will bring you soup or oranges. You have to take care of yourself. Hence, your health should be your priority. Eat well, exercise daily, and adopt a healthy lifestyle to stay healthy.
Maintenance Duties
Whether fixing a leaky faucet or changing the light bulb, you must handle all the maintenance tasks yourself. You have to take care of these things without any help. YouTube tutorials can be a handy option for learning anything and fulfilling your duties as smoothly as possible.
Sole Decision Maker
The hardest part of living alone is making all your decisions by yourself. While being a decision-maker is exciting, it can be overwhelming at times. Whether it is a small decision like what to cook or a big life choice, you must make them yourself. It can be exhausting sometimes.
Mental Health
When you are alone, it is easy to fall into the trap of your thoughts. With no one else to distract you or spend time with, you start overthinking everything. It can severely impact your mental health. Daily meditation and exercise help you gain control over your thoughts.
Entertainment
Living with a roommate makes it easy to find ways to entertain each other. You can suggest things to each other or try something new together. However, when you are alone, finding ways to entertain yourself solo is a struggle.
Celebrating Milestone Alone
Whether you achieve something, witness a beautiful sunset, or purchase your dream phone, there is no one to celebrate those moments with. You can call your family and friends to share things, but the feeling of being with someone in that moment will be missing.
No one to give you advice
We all seek advice when making small or big decisions in life. It is like carrying a lifeboat while going to sea. Having someone to discuss things with is helpful for making the right choices. But when you live alone, you are your own advisor.
No one to handle emergencies
Whether it is a health crisis or a household disaster, if you live alone, there is no one to help you in emergencies. You have to handle it on your own. Friends and family can come later when they are informed, but in the moment, it is just you.
No one to talk to
When you live with someone, you can discuss anything at any time. Whenever you feel bored or on weekends, you can plan things with that person and turn your boring days into fun days. However, when you are alone, there is no one to talk to or plan spontaneous fun things with. Sometimes, your friend is also not available, making things worse.
Felling overwhelming
The idea of Living alone sounds exciting and glamorous, but it can become overwhelming at times. Household chores, work, paying all the bills, personal time, and managing your mental health, balancing all of these alone without a support system can be overwhelming.
Lifting heavy things alone
Moving heavy furniture or handling large packages becomes significantly difficult when you are living alone. Doing such tasks without any assistance can pose a risk of injury. You need to call someone to help or wait for your friends or family members to come over.
Finding fulfilment
When no one is around, you need to learn to enjoy your own company. In quiet moments, when being alone feels overwhelming, you are your source of comfort. You can go to your friend’s place, but sometimes they are aslo unavailable.
Eating more junk
Preparing a meal for one person every day can be a hassle. Many people lack the motivation to cook a healthy and nutritious diet, leading them to eat more junk food. With numerous options for food delivery available right to your doorstep, buying junk food has become more convenient. Ordering food with one click is easier than preparing a meal. That’s why people who live alone often end up eating more unhealthy food.
No emotional support
After a rough day, there is no one to share your hardships and struggles with. You have to deal with it alone and find ways to cheer yourself up. When you live with someone, it is easy to open up and share your feelings,but living alone does not offer that luxury. It may even feel more depressing when your friends and family are busy.