Staying steady on the single train can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. Just because you’re not in a relationship right now doesn’t mean you’re alone in life. Stop wallowing in self-pity and cheer up. Here are 8 ways to make being alone a lot less lonely:
- Get a pet. Providing for another living thing makes you feel needed, and being needed is good for your mental health. Not only do you have ample reason to get out of bed, but you’ll also be receiving endless amounts of love in return.
- Invest in your friends. Socializing is healthy and good for your emotional and mental well-being. When you’re in a relationship, it can be easy to let your friendships go, but not having a significant other shows you just how sacred those relationships are. Just because you don’t have a man doesn’t mean you don’t have anyone.
- Make more time for family. As the saying goes, friends come and go, but family is forever. This couldn’t be more true. Hopefully, you have great friends to get your mind off things, but the greatest foundation is your family. Call your sister, make time for the woman who gave you life, and watch that movie your dad’s been bugging you to see. Lean on the people who love you.
- Find a hobby. You go to work, you come home, and then what? Do you sit around contemplating why you’re ordering take out for one for the third night in a row? You need something to keep you busy outside of the office. Having passion is great for a relationship, but having a personal passion is great for your self-worth.
- Be the life of the party. Don’t spend your days making a butt imprint on the couch — go out and have fun. Keeping busy and going out with the intent to have fun won’t give you the time to feel alone.
- Don’t focus on meeting Mr. Right. While you should definitely get yourself out there and have fun, don’t make finding a man the goal of every night. Skip the desperation. Go out with your friends focus on each other, not the pub-crawlers. Odds are, you won’t find the love of your life at a dive bar.
- Shape your career. Success in the workplace not only gives you confidence, it gives you independence. When you know that you can make it on your own, you’ll stop worrying about being alone.
- Don’t wallow. Being alone can suck, but being single doesn’t. There is a difference between alone and single. Take notice to all the people you have around you, and be happy you have them. Being single is all about what you make of it. Enjoy the freedom and independence, because some day you might miss it.
- If you’re disregarding your plus-one on a wedding invite, it’s not the end of the world. Every place you go is a chance to meet someone new, and as long as you have people that you love and that love you, you’re never alone. No matter what kind of love that is.
