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From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTransitioning to living alone later in life after a major life change \u2013 such as divorce, bereavement, or an \u201cempty nest\u201d \u2013 can be profoundly unsettling, often prompting a mix of grief, loneliness, and reflection.<\/p>\n
However, while this period can be difficult, it also brings new opportunities for personal growth, re-evaluating goals and building self-reliance.<\/p>\n
We spoke to some therapists about what key concerns and issues people often struggle with during this adjustment period, who have also shared some valuable advice on how to thrive during this new chapter of life.<\/p>\n
What are the most common fears and issues people face when they first start living alone after years of sharing a home?<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cLiving alone creates less distractions and a lot more time and space to be with our own thoughts and feelings, and that can be quite confronting,\u201d recognises Susie Masterson, a BACP-registered psychotherapist and relationship coach at Ultraliving.<\/p>\n
She highlights how this abundance of alone time often prompts people to reflect on their life and grow anxious about the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat can be quite destabilising for some people, particularly if things haven\u2019t gone right, or if they have experienced a loss,\u201d says Masterson.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can cause them to feel isolated and depressed about their current situation, and many people struggle to lift themselves out of this negative spiral.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not of having that comforting physical presence of loved ones around can be hard to adjust to.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople get very used to sharing a space with somebody and having that companionship. Even small moments of acknowledgement, such as saying thanks for a cup of tea, can be very comforting,\u201d says Masterson.<\/p>\n
The absence of frequent communication at home can also be difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of us rely on the people that we live with for communication, empathy and compassion, and for that to suddenly go can leave many people in limbo,\u201d reflects Debbie Keenan, BACP senior accredited psychotherapist. \u201cWhen people have been in a partnership for a very long time, they might not know what direction to go in or how to exist on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here are some tips on how to make this transition easier\u2026<\/p>\n
Create structure<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cBe consistent and proactive about putting things in place so you\u2019ve got anchor points to feel safe, whether that\u2019s taking the dog out for a walk in the morning or having lunch at the same time every day,\u201d recommends Masterson.<\/p>\n
Think about the benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cWhen you live with a partner or children, there are always constraints as you have to fit your life around their lives,\u201d reflects Masterson. \u201cHowever, when you are on your own, the world is your oyster. You can really start to think about what is important to you and what pace you want to go at.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keep reaching out to people<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cBe proactive about connecting to other people, because it\u2019s very easy to become isolated,\u201d says Keenan. \u201cKeep reaching out to people to maintain and foster those relationships, because nobody will come and hand you it on a plate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Try new things<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cTreat things as an experiment,\u201d advises Masterson. \u201cIt\u2019s a brilliant opportunity to discover who you are, what you like, what you don\u2019t like and when you do, the future will seem brighter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stay active<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cGet up and do something everyday, whether it\u2019s a 20-minute walk or some chair exercises,\u201d recommends Keenan.<\/p>\n
Create a security network\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cA lack of control can make people feel uncomfortable, so recognise this fear and put things in place,\u201d recommends Masterson. \u201cBuild your security network of family, friends and\/or neighbours who you can ask for help or notify when you feel unsafe or lonely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Utilise technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cTry to get involved in technology if you can, because it can help you stay connected with relatives and social connections from all over the world,\u201d suggests Keenan.<\/p>\n
Make your environment homely<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cMake your home a safe haven,\u201d advises Keenan. \u201cPut some music on and do whatever gives you comfort. Stock up the cupboards with food that you enjoy and make yourself a comforting drink.\u201d<\/p>\n
Consider getting a pet<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cStroking a pet can help boost your endorphins, as well as other happy hormones like oxytocin,\u201d says Keenan. \u201cPets, especially dogs, love you unconditionally no matter what kind of day you\u2019re having, which can be really reassuring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Try mindfulness or meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIt can be incredibly rewarding to be able to sit in stillness,\u201d says Masterson. \u201cTry to schedule mediation or mindfulness into your routine every day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Transitioning to living alone later in life after a major life change \u2013 such as divorce, bereavement, or an \u201cempty nest\u201d \u2013 can be profoundly unsettling, often prompting a mix of grief, loneliness, and reflection. However, while this period can be difficult, it also brings new opportunities for personal growth, re-evaluating goals and building self-reliance. We spoke to some therapists about what key concerns and issues people often struggle with during this adjustment period, who have also shared some valuable advice on how to thrive during this new chapter of life. What are the most common fears and issues people face when they first start living alone after years of sharing a home? \u201cLiving alone creates less distractions and a lot more time and space to be with our own thoughts and feelings, and that can be quite confronting,\u201d recognises Susie Masterson, a BACP-registered psychotherapist and relationship coach at Ultraliving. She highlights how this abundance of alone time often prompts people to reflect on their l…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12893"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12893"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12893\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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