There has been a stiff learning curve with the whole "living alone" thing. If you saw my previous post, then you'd know that I was somewhat lost with how to adapt to the quiet. In the past two months, I've grown a lot and came up with a list of Do's & Don'ts of Living Alone:
DO do (yes, I'm aware I just wrote do do) things that you would normally do if other people were around*, i.e. if you would normally close the bathroom door, then close it. If you would normally sit at the kitchen table for a meal, then sit there.
*Note: this does not apply to wearing pants.
DO get a dog! Lulu was a great choice for me! I had wanted a dog for a long time. She keeps me company and changes up the monotony of being inside. We go for walks twice a day and always go running in Cherokee park on my days off. She's something to look forward to at the end of my workday. Although she makes life a little less lonely at home, she does not take away the fact that I miss home, family, and friends. If anything, I miss them more because I want her to meet everyone!
DO invite company over. If your house becomes too much of your domain then you're likely to feel imposed upon when friends come to visit. Have your safe haven, but welcome guests and entertain frequently because it really will make your house feel like home.
DO eat real food. TV dinners don't count, chips and salsa doesn't count, a bowl of cereal doesn't count. Eat foods that are fresh from the ground and require a bit of preparation. Go to the local farmer's market (and carry your own bags!) or plan out a weekly menu of culinary treats.
DO save for a rainy day... or a plane flight home. There's nothing like a little retail therapy or a weekend trip home. There's definitely nothing like a hug from your Mom & Dad.
DO keep up with your hobbies. Do the things you love most. Try new things that you've always wanted to do but never had the cash flow or time. Take a class, learn a language, paint, join the climbing gym.
DON'T put things off until later... Advice given to me by one of my best friends, Jordan. He said if you get in the habit of leaving things until later then your house will become a disaster area and more work in the long run. Wash your dishes once you use them, empty the garbage when it's needed, make your bed in the morning. Good advice!
DON'T stay inside all day. Sunlight has a direct effect on mood and health making you perkier, sun kissed, and more able to absorb that bone-strengthening calcium. The grass is prettier than your dirt-stained carpet, and the Carolina blue sky always makes me smile.
DON'T get sucked into social media. Facebook, twitter, and the blogosphere are not your friends. In fact, they're probably detrimental to your outlook on your life and they distort your perception of reality. Go find real life friends and leave the status updates to people baking cookies with their 10 cats on a Friday night.
DON'T get a gun. You're more likely to injure yourself or someone you love with the gun than an intruder. I've met more people in Kentucky that have a firearm (or seven) than people that don't have one. To me, it's more dangerous. Instead, pick a safe part of town with lots of neighbors and lock your doors.
I'm no expert, but I think I'm doing a pretty good job at balancing home life with work life with social life. There's still a lot to learn and explore, but I'm slowly getting the swing of things.
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