Originally published at lmt-lss.com on March 19, 2016.
Being in a romantic relationship and constantly spending time with people are overrated. If you set up your life in a certain way and adopt certain simple strategies, you can find true and abundant happiness being alone. Let’s take a look at eight happiness strategies that are bound to keep you happy alone.
1. Enroll in the solitude camp, not the loneliness one.
Being alone means different things to different people. Some perceive being alone as being lonely or not finding favor among people. Some others think of being alone as a beautiful state of peace, calm, and solitude. Internalize this difference and join the latter. Happiness will be hard to get if you perceive being along negatively.
2. Connect with yourself on a deeply personal level.
You have a relationship with yourself, like you have with anyone else. You have to be loving, kind, and compassionate towards yourself at times, and stern and angry at other times, to keep yourself keyed into the situation emotionally. Spiritual practices can help you reach out to your inner self more deeply.
3. Focus on your passion, so the company won’t matter.
Being alone seems like a problem only when you don’t have any real, significant thing to do and you expect someone to be around you to help you pass the time. Once you direct your intention and focus towards something significant, you’ll not notice the presence or the lack of company, and go on about your life merrily.
4. Set up your space for doing different things.
When you’re spending most of your time alone, your physical surroundings play an active role in your life. They start to influence how you think and act, and set you off your track. To avoid this predicament, set up your space in such a way that it helps you think and act in a certain way. For instance, the room should inspire creativity if you’re an artist.
5. Be grateful for what you already have.
You may choose to be alone at this point, but you have many people to thank and many things to be thankful for. Gratitude is one of the prime ingredients of happiness, so never settle for the lack of it. Harbor gratitude in your heart, for instance, for the parents who made you and for the roof over your head. This is a good starting point.
6. Keep yourself clean, fit, and active.
Not being around or meeting people constantly could lead you to be careless about your cleanliness and hygiene. Don’t fall into that trap. Keep yourself clean, and engage in physical exercises like running and cycling to stay fit and active. Don’t bottle yourself up in a room. Stay in touch with the world outside.
7. Volunteer your time when you can.
Being a part of a bigger cause, like feeding the poor, donating clothes to an orphanage, and building the environment nearby, makes you feel like you’re a part of the grand scheme of things. Volunteering your time for such causes will give you a sense of purpose and direction, and help you find happiness.
8. Make plans for the future.
Living in the present is crucial, and not many people do it. But as someone who spends most of their time alone, it’s important that you also take time out to plan for your future. Asking yourself questions like, “Where am I headed?” and “Am I taking steps in the right direction?” can help you center your life on a strong foundation.
