Ways to Cope with New Year’s Eve Alone
It’s easy to feel alone on New Year’s Eve even if you are spending it with friends. That feeling will be intensified if you find yourself alone.
Plus, if you’re alone because of social anxiety, you can’t help but wonder if you’ve brought this loneliness on yourself.
The good thing is that if you do find yourself alone on this day of the year, there are some things you can do it feel less lonely.
Alone doesn’t have to equal lonely, especially if you can reframe the way you view New Year’s Eve.
Let’s dive in and take a look at some ways that you can cope with being alone and perhaps even enjoy it—so that you can set yourself up for a fabulous start to the New Year.
It’s kind of true that what you send out into the universe is what is sent back to you.
If you want this New Year’s Eve to end on a positive note, you will need to approach it in a positive way. Yes, even if it seems like everything kind of sucks right now.
How can you do this?
Start out by making a short gratitude list of everything you have to be thankful for even if you are alone. Then, come up with a positive affirmation for the day that will keep you from dwelling on negative thoughts.
Something like, “I’m so excited that the New Year is bringing me so many wonderful things.” Frame it as gratitude for the future, and you’ll be on your way to feeling better.
Treat Yourself
Yep, you’re alone. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do something nice for yourself.
If you are going to be alone, you might as well do something that only you would enjoy. Put on your very favorite movie that everyone else hates or read a trashy novel, prepare your favorite meal or order out, and stay in your pajamas if you want.
I mean, really go all out on making this just a “me” day. You’re alone, might as well enjoy yourself.
If the thought of actually spending New Year’s Eve alone is truly making you uncomfortable, it’s not too late to go attend some sort of public event even if it’s online.
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If you’ve got a few days, you could fly to New York to be a spectator in Times Square (okay, maybe that’s a bit out of reach, I understand).
Are there any local events going on to celebrate the New Year, even if they are online?
Do a quick search of Facebook or your local Facebook group for your city or town, you might be surprised at what you find.
Set Some Goals
Nope, I’m not going to call these resolutions, because those tend to be more wishy-washy and easy to break.
How about this year, you actually set some big goals that you want to achieve… ones that are a bit scary and get your attention.
I’m not talking about eating carrots every day or going to bed by 10 pm each night (though those are good aspirations too).
Nope, I want you to think bigger than you ever have before.
How can you not just be comfortable in social situations but feel excited to be around people?
What will it take for you to want to say “yes” when people invite you to do things?
How can you set some boundaries for yourself so that people don’t walk all over you?
Who is going to help you get where you want to go in life, and who is holding you back?
I can’t give you the answers to these questions, they are up to you to figure out. But, I suggest pulling out a notebook and starting to write down what pops into your head.
For this one day, imagine that nothing is off-limits. What would you want out of life?
Maybe It’s OK to Go After All
Is there a party or get together that you were invited to (even an online one) but said “no”? Is it too late to turn that “no” into a “yes”?
If not, I suggest you send out a message that you’re coming after all. Put zero pressure on yourself, don’t overthink this, and just go!
The worst that can happen is that you have a crappy time, but the best is that you enjoy yourself. If you’re truly not satisfied feeling alone tonight, this could be your best option.
Sure, you might be alone, but in this digital/virtual world that we live in, what does that really mean? You’re never alone to the point that you can’t reach out and connect with someone through a phone call, text, Facebook message, etc.
If you’re truly feeling lonely, send out some messages tonight and see who responds. Your best bet is to pick people who are probably at home tonight too.
You might be surprised that if you get the conversation rolling, you end up feeling a lot less lonely.
Call It a Day
Sometimes, you just have to call it day. Right? Like, when you’ve tried everything to feel better and it’s just not working, you could go to bed early and just write off this New Year’s Eve.
There’s really no shame in doing this; millions of people around the world do not stay up to watch the ball drop or celebrate the arrival of the New Year.
This could be the perfect solution if you are feeling too much pressure to make this an important day. Instead, just make it another day of the year. Don’t get anything done, just go to bed.
To sum up, if you’re struggling with feeling lonely on New Year’s Eve, you could set some intentions, treat yourself well, attend a public event, set some goals, say yes to something you previously said no to, connect virtually, or just call it a day.
What’s your choice going to be? Feel free to share in the comments.
And if you’re alone this year because of social anxiety, be sure to sign up for my free resource library at the top or bottom of this page!
Related Articles about New Year’s Eve
- Life Goals to Set as New Year’s Resolutions
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How to Manage Being Alone on New Year’s Eve
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