‘Going Solo’ is a book that I have just finished reading recently. I bought this book because its title caught my attention. I have been living on my own for about 3 years and I was skeptical about the idea of living alone, because I believe that nothing can substitute the happiness to live with family. My view has changed after reading the book.
A quick summary of the book ‘Going Solo’
The idea of living alone has an increasing trend in the contemporary world. Some people prefer to be alone but are afraid of the judgement from other people, even if they feel happier to live alone. Many case studies show that there is nothing wrong to live alone and therefore should not be judged, and in fact it is good for some people. The book explains various benefits of living alone, such as those people are more likely to engage in social events, do sports, and have a better lifestyle.
It is true that sometimes it is lonely to live alone, but it is even lonelier if you live with the wrong person. Also, some people are married but then divorced or lost their spouse for some reasons. What it means is that many people still end up spending more time being alone in their life even if they don’t want this to happen, so it is important that we can adapt to the solo life. Although the world is slowly accepting the people who are living solo, there are still some challenges such as discrimination, pay higher tax and most importantly – aging alone.
Is it really good to live alone?
I think the book is mainly targeted at the people like to be solo, not necessarily for the people who are solo. The book stated many times: ‘the people who are afford to live solo do not necessarily like to be solo.’ To be honest, this book is not in my favour because I personally hope to live with my love partner forever in the future. Nevertheless, I understand that it might not be possible as there are too many uncertainties in the world, so the book is worth reading.
To be very clear, I strongly believe that it is a good idea to live by your own. It doesn’t have to be a lifetime but at least for a period (e.g. one year), though the book has suggested that it is fine to be solo for the entire life.
There are many benefits to live alone:
1. Enhance social life – more likely to engage in social events and go to pubs
2. Improve lifestyle – more likely to do sport, sign up for classes and enjoy better foods
3. Develop self-reliance to live by your own
4. Enable deep thinking and talking to self
5. Some people just prefer to be alone, as they feel natural to do so
For people who want to live alone for the lifetime, the biggest challenge is aging alone. Nursing home and assisted living facilities are possible solutions but have some downsides. Nonetheless, it is not a reason to find a partner merely because you want someone to look after you. What is more painful than facing someone who you are not interested in for a lifetime? There are always ‘give’ and ‘take’. If you are keen to live alone for long term, you should plan for your future earlier.
Living by your own is an important skill; in my opinion, being able to live well with other is equally important. One reason of the increasing trend of living alone is that many children have their private room nowadays, and they cannot adapt to live with others after they grew up. If I want to adopt a child in the future, I want at least 2 children so that they live with each other. This is because I think living well with other people is a vital skill, so they have the choice to decide if they want to live with a partner in the future.
The Conclusion
it is a very good idea to live alone for a period of time, as it will change your perception somehow and build your self-reliance. If you want to live alone for the lifetime, it is absolutely right to do so. It just depends on whether you prefer to be solo or continue the life without a partner. For people who do not like to live alone, it is still important to develop the ability to live by your own because we do not know what will happen in the future.
No Comments