10 Benefits of Living Alone as an Introvert

Being an introvert in a hectic, fast-paced world can be a struggle. That’s why there’s something to be said about the intimacy you share with your own personal space. No matter how much time you feel obligated to spend in the outside world, at the end of the night, you always end up going back to you. The walls that surround you on a daily basis have learned just as much about you as you’ve learned to rely on them to keep you warm. Psych2Go shares with you 10 benefits of living alone as an introvert:

1. You can focus better on your hobbies with less distractions to interrupt you.

It’s easier for you to nurture and keep your hobbies alive when you live alone. This is because you become an expert at keeping yourself entertained with no one else in your space. You start to place more value on your hobbies. They’re not done just to pass time; you learn to immerse yourself in them for self-fulfillment purposes.

2. You can daydream and get lost in your thought more easily.

Daydreaming is therapeutic. It revitalizes your ability to be innovative. According to research, it also gives your working memory a great workout. This helps you learn to focus on tasks with better concentration.

3. You learn to listen to what your body needs and caters to it as required.

If you need to recharge and spend time taking naps, you can do it. If you want to practice mindfulness to be in touch with yourself, you can meditate. Whether it be cooking, reading, or painting, you learn to do what your body needs to keep it de-stressed and in good shape for as long as possible.

4. You can celebrate or mourn —you can do whatever your heart desires in the moment.

Whether you choose to blast the music and dance around in your underwear, or cry after a bad day at work, you get to do what you wish to do at your own accord without having to worry about anyone else’s judgment. It’s a way of establishing honesty and allowing yourself to express your emotions freely. You don’t have to worry about how you come across, because it’s only yourself and the space you’re becoming vulnerable with.

5. You can decorate your space however you want to.

The space is rightfully yours. You can express your own creativity that matches your own unique quirks and personality, making it all yours and no one else’s. There’s a sense of proud ownership you establish and no one can take that away from you.

6. You establish independence and freedom.

Independence means being able to rely on yourself on no one else. It means allowing yourself to do what you want without having to run it through with someone else beforehand. You learn to mature and become more responsible at your own pace, and not anyone else’s.

7. There’s less emotional drama and arguments to get caught up in.

Living alone on your own means not having to worry about walking on someone’s eggshells after coming home from a long day at work. It leaves room for you to make mistakes without having to concern yourself with the drama that might stir up from another person’s reactions. And by having less emotional drama and arguments follow you, you become less irritable yourself, thus enhancing your well-being.

8. You can do chores at your own schedule.

You don’t have to worry about leaving dirty dishes in the sink or the sight of your unmade bed, because it’s only you that those factors affect. If you’re having a busier week than usual, you can do your chores when you find the time to do so instead of being pressured to work around someone else’s schedule. It’s less invasive and this makes doing chores a lot more bearable.

9. You can escape the harsh realities from the rest of the world, which encourages you to build a stronger sense of self.

Although reality will always be with us, by living alone, you learn to protect who you are longer. That way, you don’t lose yourself in what the rest of the world wants from you. It gives you a chance to set important boundaries to separate who you are versus who you project for others to see. You learn to know the difference. The more you know who you are, the less breakdowns you’ll have over identity loss.

10. Being alone becomes a luxury, not loneliness.

You learn to cherish the time you have spent alone. It feels like a privilege. And while you can’t necessarily erase loneliness altogether, loneliness still becomes less present when you realize that living by yourself can be grand in all its special understated ways.

Are you an introvert that lives alone? What do you find enjoyable about it? Leave a comment down below!

Resources:

Welsh, J. (2012, March 16). Daydreaming Is Good for the Mind. Retrieved September 5, 2017.