Why Living Alone is Important in Your 20s

Learning to enjoy spending time with just myself for a long period of time has been one of the most challenging things I have ever put myself through.

Let me give you some context... I recently graduated from college where I lived in a house with six other girls, then I moved to LA where I knew no one and I rented a one-bedroom apartment. So, let’s just say the change from never being alone to always being alone was dramatic.



The thought of living alone is absolutely terrifying, especially in your 20s when you’re used to waking up to your college roommates crawling into your bed because their Sunday scaries were too much to handle. However, with as much fear as the thought of being alone comes, it is the best thing I have ever done for myself.


It has taught me that living alone in your 20s is an absolute must, and let me tell you why:




1. You learn how to be self-motivated.

I’m not sure about you, but I struggle with getting off the couch unless I am told to do so, living alone has changed that for me. After about two months of taking a nap during my lunch break and spending all of Sunday watching movies, I began to grasp the fact that I was spending all of my free time being lazy and no one was telling me not to. I had to develop a new mentality and eventually, I learned how to motivate myself on my own which for me was a step in the right direction.




2. You discover what is truly important in your life.

After spending time with just myself, I began to understand who and what is truly important in my life. This became relevant through the simple realization of which relationships I was motivated to put effort towards. Who was I going out of my way to reach out to? What was I self-motivated about? Living alone truly put my priorities into perspective, and helped me understand that it’s easy to let people and opportunities slip by, so take a step back and realize who and what is important and what you’re willing to let go of.




3. You learn to be happy with yourself.

The most important aspect of living alone is the chance you get to learn to be with yourself. For many years I was surrounded by people, and anytime I felt alone or sad, I was easily comforted by the fact that I have roommates who care for me. However, living alone has changed that and has shown me that in life it is beyond important to learn how to comfort yourself, and to learn how to be with yourself in silence and not have a looming loneliness. 



In the end, you are the most important person in your life. Learn to cherish and take care of yourself. Most importantly, be yourself and have fun!