Aging Gracefully While Living Alone for the First Time

You may be living alone for the first time in a long time or you may be living alone for the first time EVER.

Either way, your mindset is going to make a difference in how much you enjoy your single life.

If you’ve been going down the wrong path lately, feeling sorry for yourself and allowing yourself to feel isolated, it’s time for an attitude adjustment. Here goes!

49 Reasons to Appreciate Living Alone

1. Leave your bed unmade any day you want
2. Wash dishes once a day if it doesn’t bother you
3. Keep the bedside light on as late as you want
4. Turn on the light or TV in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep
5. Scent your entire home with your favorite essential oils
6. Decorate each room as you always wanted
7. Have a gerbil, guinea pig, cat, dog or whatever you want
8. Have MORE than one pet if you want
9. Keep tomorrrow’s clothes on the other side of the bed while you sleep
10. Eat dessert instead of dinner once in a while
11. Adjust the thermostat as much as you want
12. Nap as long as you want when you want without being disturbed
13. Watch favorite TV shows anytime you want
14. Turn up the TV volume as loud as you want
15. Enjoy your phone calls knowing nobody else is listening
16. Buy yourself flowers because you know you are special
17. Know that if the phone rings, it’s for you
18. You don’t have to worry about bathroom odor – from yourself or someone else
19. Swear when you want
20. Leave your diary out in the open
21. Eat when you are hungry, not because it’s “dinner time”
22. Leftovers are all for you tomorrow
23. Gobble down a slice of pizza for breakfast if you have a yen for it
24. The shower is always available for your turn
25. And there’s always enough hot water for you
26. Have as many shoes as there’s room for
27. Vacuum when you want without disturbing someone
28. Leave a book open to the page you were reading and it will still be like that later
29. Toilet paper lasts longer
30. Only YOUR alarm wakes you in the morning
31. You can decide which flowers look good on the table
32. Plant your favorite flowers or veggies
33. The decision is yours – throw out or save?
34. Income taxes are simplified
35. Leave your clothes on the floor until later
36. Wear clothes two days in a row without anyone commenting
37. Eat the whole popcorn
38. Pick whatever TV station you want
39. Decide which guests you really want to entertain
40. Hire the younger, good looking helpers
41. It’s only your own hair in the sink or shower now
42. You don’t have to wish for silence
43. Be artistic and creative without anyone critiquing
44. No one will move your stuff
45. Tools are exactly where you left them
46. The spare bedroom is whatever you want it to be
47. Park in the middle of the 2-car driveway or garage
48. Decide for yourself whether or not a home repair or remodel is do-able
49. You always get the hammock

Grieving is natural and takes time. This article is not meant to minimize the seriousness of losing one’s partner to divorce, illness, or death.

However, gratitude is a great healer.

So, if you’re living alone for the first time, print this list and refer to it whenever you’re lacking gratitude and need to get yourself out of a funk. You can’t be grateful and sad at the same time!

There are a lot of myths about living alone, but maybe YOU can (even temporarily) enjoy living alone for the first time! Moreover, remember that you’re never too old to make new friends!

Please leave your comments below!

Can you find some appreciation in living alone?

This article was first published August 30, 2019.