Parties, celebrations, romantic dinners for two, family get-togethers with the kids staying up till past midnight—these are all ways people see in the New Year. However, many of us spend it alone, either by choice or circumstances. Here’s how to have a solitary, but satisfying New Year’s Eve.
Set Aside New Year's Eve Anxiety
If the thought of being on your own on New Year's Eve makes you feel depressed and/or anxious, convince yourself it isn’t really that significant. It’s just another date on the calendar, and you are not a social failure because you are spending it alone. You always had a choice how to spend the evening. If you went along with the solitary decision then make it be your positive choice to be alone this year. Something you decided to do, not something that was thrust upon you because of circumstances. Instead of being depressed, choose an option to turn it into a really good night, even one you will remember fondly.
Remember Your Worst New Year’s Eves
All of us have high expectations of New Year’s Eve, but more often than not, they never fulfill their promise. Think about those disastrous, drunk, boring, excruciating December 31sts you have endured over the years. Aren’t you really glad you aren’t putting yourself through that this year? Now you can appreciate what a glorious treat you can give yourself by not going out. Cast aside your FOMO (fear of missing out) and decide to have the best New Year’s Eve evuh.
- You won’t have to spend any money.
- You won’t have to deal with a hangover.
- You won’t have to freeze in a skimpy outfit.
- You won’t have to put up with people you don’t like.
- You don’t have to kiss anyone you’d rather not kiss at midnight.
- You won’t have to step on anything nasty as you stumble out of the party venue.
Make a Plan
It’s always a good idea to plan ahead. You know yourself better than anyone else, so you’ll be aware if you are likely to be sad or upset if you are alone at New Year. So think about it beforehand and plan your evening in order to make the most of it. After all, whatever you think about it, it is significant. New Year is an opportunity to start again, make new plans, and set new goals and aspirations.
Treat Yourself to a New Year’s Eve Reward
You could spend the evening:
- Browsing online for a vacation. There will be many special deals at this time of the year, so make the most of it and lose yourself in some exotic destination.
- Looking for an educational or self-improvement course. If you have some idea of your goals this coming year, why not support them by embarking on a course to help them become reality? Check out sites like Udemy and The Great Courses Plus. There are also a ton of free online courses available.
- Deciding on your reading list for the year and ordering at least one book.
Staying Home and Making Cozy
How about an evening of total self-indulgence? Spend the whole evening doing the most lovely things for yourself you can think of.
- Cooking the perfect meal. Anything you like that will make you feel wonderful.
- Watching three classic movies, back-to-back.
- Wearing your most luxurious and cozy nightwear.
Self Reflection
As well as having a cozy night, how about spending some time in self-reflection. Either in meditation or journaling about the year gone past. Figuring out where things went really well and where they didn’t; how you will improve or make better decisions in the year ahead. Think about:
- Triumphs: what adversities did you overcome?
- Failures: what could you get better next time?
- Anxieties and phobias: what do you need to deal with?
- Strengths: what got you through?
- Positive friendships: who did you enjoy spending time with?
- Good times: what joyful things happened?
- Your spiritual path: where are you headed?
Make Your Resolutions
It’s so easy to make resolutions and subsequently forget them within the week. To make them stick, you need plans. So if, for example, you’re ‘going healthy’, decide what that means to you. Work out your plan of action. Set daily micro-goals which are so easy to achieve you move yourself toward the main goal without even realizing how you’re doing it.
Forget Big Change, Start With a Tiny Habit
Do Something Completely Different…
And clean your home. Treat New Year’s Eve like the portal into your new life, and it starts with a good clean and clear-out. Imagine getting up in the morning and seeing what you achieved the night before. Think how your future self would appreciate the effort you put in. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to get wake up and appreciate how hard you worked. The gleaming surfaces, the new furniture arrangement. Put the happy music on and get started.
Phone a Friend
Maybe you know someone else who’s spending New Year alone? If you can’t arrange a meet-up, why not arrange a long chatty phone call, or Skype/Whatsapp call? Have a glass of something celebratory to hand. Maybe you could even see in the New Year together?
Getting Out and About
If you don’t want to stay home, there are many opportunities to go out and be with other people, especially in cities where there is a large homeless population. You’ll need to organize it in advance, but you will derive a great deal of satisfaction and sense of camaraderie helping out at any charitable cause on New Year’s Eve.
Whatever you decide to do this New Year, have a good one!