To ask if you’ve lived alone did you struggle

I can totally understand this and my heart goes out to you all.
It must be very upsetting to see your lovely dad so lost in his home without your dear mum.
Living alone isn’t always easy, is it?

I’ve lived alone a few times as an adult. I’ve really enjoyed it when I’ve been somewhere I’m happy with good friends so plenty to do if I want to. I’ve also been lonely living alone when I’ve been in a city abroad with few friends. That was 20 years ago though, I’m late 40s and married with 2dc. I don’t think I’d want to live alone again because I’m so used to my family, but it’s all about circumstances isn’t it.

I suppose some of the things people struggle with are the silence and solitude - while I love those aspects, others find them really tough, someone up thread mentioned leaving work on a Friday afternoon and not speaking to anyone until she went back to work on Monday morning- living with kids means that sort of solitude isn’t a feature and silence definitely isn’t!

No.
I thrived and will do so again.
😊

I think that it maybe it depends on whether you live alone through choice or circumstance.

Yes. My dad hates it but that’s because he’s living without my late mum. At the same time he doesn’t want to move in with any of us because it’s his home.

Completely different from my circumstances.

I think that it maybe it depends on whether you live alone through choice or circumstance. I live alone and I absolutely love my home but I struggle every day with the sense of aloneness.
I hate coming home to a quiet empty house, so much in fact that I actually leave the radio and lamps on 24 hours a day.
I hate eating alone and even more, sleeping alone.
I have an amazing family, brilliant friends and an active social life. They have no idea how I feel but seeing as you asked, I absolutely hate living alone.

But what's wrong with aging, if it's in keeping with your actual age and you're happy? I like radio 4, a real newspaper, reading. Some of my peers take the mick but I like those. I'm not asking them to do the same. Being 'stick in your. ways' just means you know what you like.

I was mostly single for 10 years - the odd boyfriend but not living together or committed.

I’m not sure what you would include in ‘struggled’, but I had no problems. I cooked if I wanted or didn’t, went to bed at 6.30 if I felt like it, left things lying around or tidied up as I pleased…it was sometimes a bit lonely but I had a decent social life with my friends who were also mostly single. And I liked choosing to be silent if I wanted.

I don’t miss it as such, I adore my life with my husband and child, we genuinely have a great time together, but if I lost my husband and my child left home I wouldn’t pursue another living-together relationship. I’d be happy in my own little house, doing my own thing, just as I did, and was, before.

It has its merits but one has to be intentional about socializing and not getting stuck in one’s ways, which can be very aging..

I lived alone for a bit when I first got divorced (well, with my pets). It was awesome, loved it. Redecorated my house the way I wanted, bought new furniture, etc. Have great neighbours I could call on if I needed a jar opening, or a spider removing, lol. I have a boyfriend now and he’s at my house quite a bit, but has his own place and I love it when he’s here and also when he goes home, lol.

It's not quite the same no but if they're very young it's evenings all alone and you can't even go out. When they're older they're mostly annoying mess makers so not a positive really (lighthearted). I took the op to be about the companionship of living with another adult in a romantic relationship and sharing the bills and chores.

I’m surprised by how many posters are talking about living alone and then go on to talk about having children who live with them. Obviously that’s not the same as living with a partner/spouse, but neither is it living alone.

I have lived totally alone (no dependants or pets)

No struggles

Freedom to do exactly what I wanted

Small property & Small bills

Fond memories

I have also lived as a single person in shared accommodation with other people too.

Before I met DH I lived alone for about 8 years and absolutely loved it but I did spend all weekend every weekend with friends so didn't feel too lonely

Perfectly ok to say that.

I cannot stand living with anyone especially not a man. I have my life in order, they just chuck their stuff everywhere and expect me to run after them cleaning up which I refuse to do.
I live with my two cats and that's how I like it.
Any man in my life would have to live out.

I lived alone for 3 years after my divorce. I had a boyfriend who visited and young children too, but when they weren't there I was lonely. It's not fashionable to say that.... you're supposed to talk about loving the independence etc but like a PP I WFH and would be in the house on my own for days at a time. I used to go to Asda just to speak to someone 😂. I struggled with the loneliness yes. But I don't struggle with anything else except catching spiders. I'm remarried now and don't miss living alone. I like occasionally having the house to myself but that's a very different thing

I’ve always lived alone and I love it.

Struggle how? Emotionally? Financially? Practically?

I really liked living alone. The only reason I agreed to live with my DP was because living with him (and only him, I've never felt this with anyone else) was as enjoyable as living on my own. Not more enjoyable but definitely as enjoyable, and that's a big deal to me.

I did struggle financially (massively!) when I lived alone in London. I moved to another part of the country and that was a bit easier. But I never struggled emotionally or practically when I lived alone, it was always great. I loved it!

Yes, I lived alone for the four years before I moved in with my now husband. It was brilliant, absolutely loved having my own space. No regrets, but really miss it!

I prefer living alone to living with my ex BF who didn't really even contribute enough to cover his full expenses that he was adding to my bills by living here, so I felt financially better off when he left as I no longer spent so much on food, his clothes etc. he also didn't do much housework so it's easier to only clean up after myself
But it is hard living alone being reliant on one income, harder to save being on your own than if you were splitting the bills with another person properly.
I have a partner that I've been with for the last 3 years though and I definitely think it would be a far nicer life living with him than living alone. With both houses equity we could be mortgage free in one home or upside with small split mortgage in another home and I think the chores would be split fairly evenly as he does all his housework currently and I don't think he would be unfair. But I'm not pushing anything currently if he's not ready to make the leap
So living alone is better than living with a man child cock lodger but I think living within a dual income house hold with a fair domestic split is superior to living alone.

I LOVE living by myself, and I am never going to live with another adult ever again. I am definitely not half of a pair, or a permanently social creature. I am very much an independent person, and I like it that way.

I like being able to wind down when I come home after long days in work, being able to starfish in bed, being able to be ill in peace (I have migraines...), it is quiet enough for me to sleep without being disturbed (I am a light sleeper), and I never have to compromise (I grew up in a world where I was supposed to put everybody else's needs and wants first, and what I wanted was irrelevant, and where saying, "No", was not an option). I get to make all of the decisions about my life, and it is a non-stop novelty.

I move heavy furniture by myself, much to the shock of some burly delivery men. I may be small, but I am strong and mighty!

Sometimes it is tricky financially, and huge DIY projects can be easier if you have an assistant/can hire someone who is reliable enough to do the work for you. It might be nice to come home to a meal once in a while, after a long stretch in work (living rurally limits your takeaway options). If I was in a relationship, it would probably be easier to have a child and ruin the idea of any alone time for at least 18 years, but there are ways and means around this!

Loved alone for 25 years. Loved it most of the time.

I did struggle at first, yes. I went very quickly from a busy household of 4 down to just me rattling around in a big empty house. I found it very lonely at times and whilst I had a good social life, I sometimes felt I was just filling time and would come home feeling more alone.
Eventually, the big family home was sold and I bought my own little house which I then did up to my own taste. It was fun choosing everything myself and not having to compromise!
I also changed jobs to one where I’m much less stressed and mostly enjoy. So now, several years later, I feel fine living alone. In fact, I like it. But it did take time and getting used to.

Only 2 years but loved it!