It has always been my dream to live alone. To have my own space, decide what I do, and cook and eat whatever I want.
Living alone means freedom. You can do anything without anyone telling you what to do. But why is no one talking about the other side of it? The part that people don’t see on social media?
The struggle of being alone.
Recently, I’ve started to feel how hard it is to live alone. It’s not the way I imagined it. I get home from work, cook my food, clean the house, and then sleep. I barely have time for myself.
It feels like a never-ending routine: work, chores, sleep, repeat.
On social media, living alone looks peaceful and aesthetic, clean apartments, cozy setups, and quiet nights. But in real life, that lifestyle fits only those who earn enough to afford it.
If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, comfort feels like a luxury. You go home tired, still needing to cook or clean, wishing you had a bit of time left for self-care.
As someone who works six days a week, I only have one day off. But even that one day isn’t really a rest day. It’s usually spent doing laundry or cleaning.
Half of the day is gone washing clothes, and that’s when it hits you, how hard it is to live in this kind of setup. You barely rest the whole week.
Then, you start to reflect. You ask yourself, ”What can I do to escape this cycle?” You think of many ways, but it’s not easy. Again, you end up asking, ”Do I still have time for this?”
Living alone teaches you to rely on yourself. You learn to solve problems, handle daily tasks, and face challenges with no one to depend on. You experience hardship, but you also learn to adapt and grow stronger.
Despite the struggle, I tell myself that I’m lucky to experience this now. I’m grateful that I learned these lessons early, so I’ll know how to handle life better in the future.
It’s not easy to live alone. There are days when it feels heavy and lonely. But at the end of the day, the truth remains, you can’t always rely on anyone but yourself.
Living alone is tough, but it’s also a journey of learning, growth, and independence. And that, in itself, is something to be grateful for.
Disclaimer: I edit this using ChatGPT.