Taking the leap and going it alone through life can be intimidating, but with the proper preparation, living a fulfilling and successful life on your own is more than possible. Unfortunately, many people assume solo living is only for those who are lonely or enjoy independence; however, this lifestyle has challenges that must be acknowledged to make it through.

Being in your own company can be challenging.

People want to be with others most of the time. We crave the company of people in our daily activities, be it at work or during leisure time. We feel connected when we are with others, and we get a sense of belongingness that is essential for our well-being. However, some of us go through life alone, and it can be tricky when facing challenges and problems. Circumstances may have led others to walk the solitary path, while others deliberately choose to live such a lifestyle. Some reasons why some get put in such a situation include:

• The person wants to be more independent, so they try doing things their way without asking for any assistance from others. This can include living in their own homes or renting a residence to experience a solitary lifestyle.
• Some people may not like engaging in too many social interactions. It could have something to do with their personality and beliefs, or perhaps they have had bad experiences with people that led them to distrust or distance themselves from people.
• A person who grows old and has a family may eventually reach the point when their children leave them as they begin to have their own families. Their significant other may also die earlier than them, making them live alone with minimal contact from relatives and friends.
• Some people have difficulties making friends and may have conflicts with family members. This can drive them into social isolation to the point that even if their family or friends are with them, they still feel isolated and don't feel a connection with them.

While living alone and being in a solitary state has benefits, such as learning to stand more on your own, having time to think and recharge yourself, and getting more creative when you have to do work that needs it, there are some disadvantages to it. Therefore, before you start thinking about living alone or putting yourself in a situation where you will be forced to be alone, learning the challenges of going through life alone is essential. This way, you can decide if such a lifestyle is meant for you or do things to prevent yourself from being isolated.

1. Your safety and security can be at risk

No one can always be in a perfect state; by that, we mean that your physical well-being can be compromised at any time. For example, you may feel sick or acquire a severe ailment, and no one can take care of you if you can't tend to yourself due to feeling weak. In addition, accidents and natural disasters like storms can also strike, and criminals may attack your house anytime. Not to sound paranoid, but all these things can happen to you while living alone, and you have to fend for or overcome them yourself. Therefore, if you plan to live or go through life alone, ensure that you maintain contact with at least one person who can reach out and be concerned for you in emergencies. We never know what can happen, so it is better to be prepared.

2. You will have to do almost everything by yourself

Living alone will be challenging unless you are independent, capable, and knowledgeable about many things that will help you live independently. If things break, you must know how to repair them or where to get a replacement. Help may not be immediately available should a situation arise when we need the help of another person. You also have to be disciplined enough with your finances and how you manage your daily activities, as no one may be there to hold you accountable and reprimand you if you do things the wrong way. Finally, no one may be available to take care of other things while you are busy dealing with something else. So if you are prepared to face all these challenges and want to try living alone, you can do so; otherwise, you will be better off living in the company of other human beings.

3. Your mental health can take a toll

One of the primary things you will experience when spending too much alone time is the risk of feeling lonely. You may be with others while doing your activities, but if you don't have a good relationship with any of them, you can still feel isolated and have to go through things alone. Spending time alone often can also make us more vulnerable to our inner critic, resulting in low self-esteem and negative thinking. Prolonged isolation can affect our overall well-being, starting from having feelings of loneliness that may develop into depression if we are devoid of healthy relationships with people. Unless you are an introvert that can take comfort in being alone and spend time in silence, and you have hobbies and passions that don't require the company of others to enjoy, it will be challenging to live alone.

Being alone can be a choice or not.

Social relationships are essential for our mental health and well-being, but some of us may have difficulties having such things. Even in the company of others, we may feel isolated and lonely due to the lack of connection and belongingness with others, perhaps due to different perspectives and interests. In addition, other circumstances can drive others to distance themselves if they conflict with others or have bad experiences with people. Living alone without any connection to others is technically possible, but it cannot be easy to pull off, considering how the system of the world and society works. The system wants us to rely on others, and unless we can provide everything we need by ourselves and have the means of producing them, we may have no choice but to live with others. Of course, living with others will only be an issue if we have disagreements and a negative perspective about people in general. Living in the company of others is more beneficial, but trying the solitary lifestyle and seeing if you can pull it off won't hurt. Just ensure you don't cut yourself off from your friends and family and maintain your social connections, so you can still have someone to reach out to and feel happy while going solo.