The Art of Living Alone and Loving It summary

The novelist Leo Tolstoy had it right when he said, “If you want to be happy, be.”

It wouldn’t be right to suggest that all the problems you experience while living alone will just vanish if you have the right attitude. But it does help to approach things with a positive mindset, and it’s important to understand that you, and only you, can figure out a plan that works.

Despite what some might say, living alone doesn’t automatically make you a hermit. But when you don't live with friends or family that you can talk to every day, you do need to take care to keep in contact with the people who matter. While friends are invaluable, the person you spend the most time with is yourself. And that’s the relationship you need to prioritize.

The key message here is: All your relationships change when you live alone – including the one that you have with yourself.

Unfortunately, medical research done on living alone doesn’t show the greatest results. A study by Brigham Young University found that living alone actually increased the risk of death by as much as 32 percent – that’s about the same as obesity.

Why is this? It’s speculated that people living alone face greater health risks because they often have bad habits, such as being less likely to see a doctor and exercising less. 

After the author’s divorce, she realized something quite alarming – she didn’t know her own financial status! This is a potentially terrifying situation to be in, but it's also the sort of revelation that can transform your attitudes for the better. Take a look at Mathews. For the first time in ages, she found herself in complete financial control.

The key message here is: Taking control of your finances should feel liberating.

Take a minute to sit down in your home, shut off all other distractions, and really get to know the atmosphere. How does the simple act of sitting there make you feel? More importantly, how do you want it to make you feel?

Never underestimate the power your home has on affecting your mood. You spend enough time there, after all. If you live alone, you have the opportunity to create a space that’s perfectly attuned to you. So make the most of it!

“Just a table for one, please.” “ Just one ticket, thanks.” “No, it’s just me, thank you.”

Have you said any of these recently? It tends to happen when you’re on your own. But why be so self-deprecating? It’s never just you. You are plenty.

Take another moment to just sit quietly in your home. What do you hear?

“Silence” is seldom real silence – it’s astonishing the things that you’ll hear if you listen closely. Living alone, you have more opportunities than others to enjoy the quiet.