Do you live alone and, if so, do you like it?

[Draxing]

I've recently, for the first time in my life, begun to live alone. For 30 years I've been longing for this - and now I absolutely hate it :(.

I'm really quite surprised. I've always enjoyed my own company but enjoying your own company is a different kettle of fish to having to put up with your own company the majority of the time. I guess this is a good lesson for me in being careful of what I wish for!

Do you like it? If so - any tips?

Yes and yes!!!!!
Never been happier! 😁😁😁

I’m alon-ish. My husband works overseas and comes home every 4 weeks for about 3-5 days at a time. Rest of the time it’s just me and the cat. I too wfh but make sure
to go out, every lunch break I’m going for a walk or doing a gym class.

I love it. I love having a quiet, peaceful clean home. I love spontaneously entertaining when I feel like it. I love ny long baths. I live bopping along to my very loud music, eating whatever whenever I want. I just finished my dinner which was a roast and half a bottle of wine. Popping to the gym for my 20:30 reformer class. I do genuinely enjoy me freedom.

I've been living alone for eight months since having to put my mother into a nursing home. I've never lived alone before and I am loving it. I'm in a retirement village, I have my two cats, and I spend a couple of hours a week volunteering and several at knitting groups. I'm unemployed and at 60 unlikely to get another job, and money concerns aside, I really don't care.

Yes, I absolutely LOVE it.

Lived in flatshares until I was 30(!) because London is so goddamn expensive. Then bought a flat. Briefly lived with a boyfriend for a year but that didn't work out so I'm back living on my own and it's the BEST.

I am mid 40’s and live with my teenage son who visits his dad every other weekend. I have lived with just my children for the last 15 years as a conscious decision to have a calm and safe space for me and my family. So not living alone but I have a little taste of my future on weekends and holidays. I am very comfy with my own company and an introvert - I can breathe deep when I am in the house on my own. Friends tell me I will become difficult to love with as I am so set in my ways and won’t compromise on my happy and chilled home.

My son will move out in the future and I know I will never willingly live with someone again in the future. For the majority of the time I am very happy with that, but I am sure sometimes I will feel lonely or lost as I transition to a new stage of my life.

@Game0fCrones ooh Minecraft, great isn’t it. I’m building a temple currently, it’s quite ambitious and materials gathered alone has taken a long time.

When MIL was suddenly widowed she found herself living alone for the first time in her life. She has filled her time with activities at a pace that she is comfortable with. Book club once a month (good for getting to know more people locally as it’s not a very serious book club!), volunteering at a local community centre fortnightly (again good for broadening your network) and helps out behind the scenes with a amateur drama group when they have a production. Through this she has friends who are in similar situations and they meet up or help each other out with practical things (giving each other lifts to medical appointments, house jobs). She says it’s great as you have the companionship but it’s a good amount of it so she is able to sit quietly and grieve by herself if she needs to. Keeps her active and occupied but not overwhelmed. I hope that helps you think about what could help you to adapt.

In theory I live alone.
I have my own place.

In practice I’m constantly running to my mum’s to deal with some health or other emergency, or to other family members for the same reason. Possibly because I’m “alone” and retired so I’m not leaving someone sitting waiting for me to come back or needing time off work, in which case I wouldn’t be expected to be so available.

It seems that me sacrificing my time means nothing because I’m “alone” anyway.

I’m busier now than I’ve ever been and I’m exhausted and fed up.

Living alone is still an aspiration and it’s frustrating that I go for days without even seeing my home because of all of these other demands. 🤦‍♀️

sorry for the rant 🫣

Put a lock on your bedroom door it will do wonders for your nerves at night just having that extra bit of security.

I've always lived alone and love it, would find it difficult to live with someone

@AgileGreenSeal hugs, that's the pits. I'm very grateful there's only my sister and me, and she lives 2000km away.

I live alone and don’t like it.
I like not being answerable to or responsible for anyone else apart from the cat, but on the other hand, nobody really gives a toss about me.

Lived alone, from 20's to late 30's and loved it. My favourite thing was getting home from work on a Friday, getting all chores done and knowing weekend was mine to do just what I wanted.
I've been living with partner for last 20 years and desperate to be on my own again. He's recently retired and I work from home. TV is on from 9am til midnight, everything I do is questioned, I never get a minute to myself, constantly having to 2nd guess every decision, I know exactly what he's gonna say in any given scenario, having to decide what we're having for tea the moment we wake up... It's driving me nuts 😒 and I'm actively planning how I can get out (I probably won't be able to as can't figure out how we could both afford our own homes; he's a good man, I don't want to ruin him, just don't want to live with him anymore).
Anyway, yes I loved living alone and would do it again, without doubt. I was sometimes nervous at night but worth spending the money on getting a specialist in to assess home, locks, etc and make your home fully secure - it may not need much doing, but would give you peace of mind.

I used to love living alone. I have lived alone 25y. Most of the time I have liked it. I am from a big family. We have always lived in tiny houses. To have my own space and a spare room- woo hoo. I got my own money and have a decent life. The only time I don't like it is when I'm ill or something goes wrong. Hated lockdown- nearly broke me.

Yes and yes

I am another of those who live alone, and have done for many years and love it.

A slight word of warning about locking yourself in the bedroom at night though. I was seriously ill one time, and went to bed. Bedroom door was locked. My family were trying to contact me but I obviously neither heard nor answered the phone as I was in la la land and conked out with delirium or something like that!

They have keys to my house, and were on the verge of bashing down the bedroom door when I stirred (with the extremely loud noise) and made it to the door to unlock it. I ended up in hospital for 10 days.

I don't lock my bedroom door anymore, but feel safe enough now. I do lock the downstairs doors so if anyone got in at the back for example, they would have to kick the internal doors in first to get upstairs.

Other than that I absolutely adore living on my own and will never live with anyone for longer than a few weeks holiday!

Yes,
and
I didn't for ages.

Now, I'm not sure I'd have it any other way.
I agree, as another poster said that when you're ill you can feel a bit vulnerable, and wet Sunday afternoons are an arse, and are when you need to plan something to do!

The first year I woke up and thought, 'I'm lonely.' Every. Morning.
Then I got very busy with work, moved house and found a friend for an occasional night in, if you follow.

I basically reinvented myself to fit the image in my head of a cool, stylish, single older woman, who is mildly intriguing and who sees people on her own terms.

Well bugger me, it's working!

I am getting counselling to re-evaluate who and what I am, and my self worth - long story, but I needed it to unpick a traumatic childhood, and a long relationship with a selfish person. I recommend it, when you're ready.

Give it time. I'd have posted like you, a few months in.

Keep posting. We're here to hold your hand!

I love living on my own. The place is tidier and I can do what I want.

However it was an adjustment in the early days as I had spent years doing what my ex wanted to do and suddenly I had to work out what I actually enjoy doing.

The key for me is doing something. I also work from home and use my lunch break to go for a walk, a bit of fresh air helps blow the cobwebs away.

After work, I try and get out and do something even if that's just a potter in the garden or getting another walk in.

Weekends involving DIY, shopping, going to the gym, a bike ride, or a 5k run, the odd lunch or night out with friends, a bit of self care like getting my hair or nails done. And before I know it, the weekend is done and it's back to work.

Throw in watching the usual Netflix/Disney/Prime box sets and I'm quite happy with my lot.

Security wise, I have an alarm and cameras on and around the outside of my house so that gives me some peace of mind.

I'll never live with another man and at this point I don't see how being in a relationship will add any value to my life so I am happily single.

It may be like me, you just have to work out what you want to do!

I absolutely love living on my own.

Maybe look for some inspiration online (TikTok/instagram) both from people who talk about their own experiences of living alone and what joy the find in it, and deco inspo on how to make the place truly 'yours' and a happy place to come home to.

Yes and I love it. No downside whatsoever.
I go out to socialise if I'm feeling like it.
I'm an extrovert but living with others doesn't give me any energy, quite the opposite-it drains it. It's all about never ending compromises. There's only one life and it's too short to not have it your way!

If you have a chubb lock front and back of the house then other than a burglar smashing up double glazing nobody can get in.

Love living alone with dog.
She is a great companion.
DS lives in his own home.

Im not scared at night as my neighbours are close by.

I like living without a partner, but one of my children still lives with me and although they are quite self sufficient, it is still a person in the house. I'm kind of dreading them moving out as I think it's going to be really strange and empty.

I thought that when DS did a year out working abroad- But I soon got used to it.
He lives an hour away now ( only way he could afford a
house)

Oh dear, I seem to be in the minority of not loving living alone!

I'm tired of having to make an effort to have any kind of interaction with another human being. I miss having someone there who will make a throwaway comment about something on the TV, or respond to my comment, or bring me a cup of coffee in bed. Someone to go on a walk with and talk about the view or point out an interesting bird. Those kind of spontaneous interactions.

Mind you, it's still better than living with any of the selfish, lazy arseholes that a lot of women on here do.