There are some people who seem to have ants in their pants anytime they don’t have a social schedule that’s booked solid. It’s like they have to be around people 24/7 or they don’t know what to do with themselves. Then there are those at the opposite end of the spectrum who much prefer to roll solo than hang out with pals all the time. Why is that? Myriad reasons, I’m sure, but people who like to be alone do tend to have these 15 qualities in common.
1. They’re confident introverts.
I know, duh and all, but it’s true. People who like to be alone are definitely not extroverts, that’s for sure. Instead, they tend to be people who get overstimulated easily and whose social battery gets drained relatively quickly. That’s not to imply that they’re some kind of weird loners or anything, just that, if given a choice between a raucous party or sitting on their couch reading or going on a solo hike, they’ll pick the latter pretty much every time.
2. They’re self-sufficient and super independent.
It’s hard to have a good time being on your own when you can’t really look after yourself or you have a more codependent type of personality. If you rely on your partner, your friends, or even your parents to fulfill even your most basic needs, you’re going to struggle when it’s just you. The people who thrive by themselves are the ones who can take care of themselves and who actually relish the task of doing so.
3. They hate gossip.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a 16-year-old high school student or a 57-year-old office assistant — gossip literally never stops for some people. It’s as if they literally need to discuss other people and their lives or else they’ll wither up and die. Sad, really, but you can’t gossip alone, which is why they’re always surrounded by their fellow drama queens. People who like being alone, however, partly feel this way because they’re not down with this behavior and find it immature, petty, and kinda gross.
4. They’re easily annoyed.
I’m not saying that all people who enjoy solo time are complete misanthropes, but many are (raising my hand here). They often find other people’s weird quirks and habits or their obnoxious traits hard to deal with or be around for any length of time, so they prefer not to be. When they’re on their own, there’s no one to annoy them but themselves, and they’re cool with that.
5. They hate being in the spotlight.
This comes back to the introvert thing I was talking about earlier. Getting tons of attention in social situations isn’t for everyone, and many people take avoiding that to the extreme by instead spending a lot of time on their own. There’s no chance of being put on the spot that way, is there?
6. They cherish their peace and quiet.
This is maybe one of the most obvious items on this list, but it still warrants saying. To people who love being on their own, peace and quiet is like heaven on earth. There are no interruptions or distractions to deal with, and they can actually hear themselves think, so to speak. There’s a sense of calm and equilibrium in that, and they won’t give it up willingly.
7. They hate small talk.
I mean, who doesn’t, really? Talking about completely banal subjects to seem polite and interested in someone you don’t know and aren’t really gelling with is exhausting, and that’s why people who like to be alone feel that way. They’d rather not talk at all than make idle chit-chat about meaningless stuff that neither party actually wants to be involved in.
8. They’re level-headed and very logical.
It might be hard to connect the dots on this one, but stay with me here. People who spend a lot of time on their own have plenty of opportunity to do some self-reflection and course correction when they feel a bit off. As a result, they tend to have a good head on their shoulders and know how to respond rather than react. This grants them a life that’s much less stressful, and they want to continue that, hence the reason they prioritize solo time.
9. They work best on their own.
It’s not that they can’t work in a team, it’s that they’d really prefer not to whenever possible. There’s nothing worse than either having to carry someone else because they’re not contributing as much or being held back from making progress because others are lagging behind. They prefer to just get on with things on their own and work at their own pace. Things just go more smoothly that way.
10. They’re socially awkward.
This one sucks to admit, and it’s certainly not true for all people who prefer to be alone, but for those who find it hard to read social cues or simply aren’t very well-versed in these kinds of interactions, it can be downright painful. As a result, they tend to avoid being in groups or social situations as much as possible. This is a shame for those who would like to be more outgoing but are struggling, but for those who are cool with that, good for them.
11. They have a lot of hobbies and passions.
It’s hard not to like being on your own when you have so many things to fill your time with. These people tend to keep busy with tons of different hobbies and pastimes, whether it’s sports, artistic endeavors, crafting, whatever. They’re never at a loss when it comes to what to do in their free time, so they look forward to every opportunity they get to pursue the things they love. Makes sense, don’t you think?
12. They’re highly sensitive people.
Sometimes being a human being in this world sucks. Every time you turn on the news or pick up a newspaper or go to a news website, you’re bombarded with endless bad news. There are wars everywhere, people are struggling to put food on their tables, the earth is being destroyed on a daily basis and no one seems to care… the list goes on and on. That’s overwhelming, which is why many people retreat to the relative safe haven of their little solo cocoon. Is it effective? That depends on who you ask, I suppose.
13. They enjoy their own company.
Obviously people who like being alone think they’re pretty great and enjoy their own company. So they should, too! It’s so hard to get comfortable in your own skin enough to spend hours with yourself and actually like it. Society likes to make you feel weird or like there’s something wrong with you, but these people know better. They came into this world alone and they’ll go out that way. They sure as heck wanna be comfortable with themselves.
14. They don’t really like many people.
Raise your hand if this is you! Sometimes liking being alone isn’t down to preference but necessity since they may not have a huge friend group (by choice). People are kind annoying (see number 4 above), right? For many, rather than grin and bear it with “acquaintances” they really can’t stand just for the sake of appearing to be super social, they just hang out on their own. Fair enough!
15. They don’t overthink it.
People who like to be alone don’t sit around all day thinking about whether they’re socializing enough or if they’re becoming too isolated. They’re comfortable enough in their own skin that they don’t need to overanalyze or second guess themselves. To be honest, it feels pretty darn good.
