The Living Well Alone Project
Who are we?
Whether by choice or through circumstance, more and more of us than ever before are living by ourselves. The Living Well Alone Project was set up in 2017 to fill the gap in information and advice for people living by themselves and asking the question ‘how do I do this?’ as well as promoting a more positive and realistic perception of people who live alone. We are part advisory service, part storytellers, and part social movement! Our regular newsletter has the latest.
We recently achieved Community Interest Company status, which means we can operate as a social enterprise. This means that any money we make – through donations, grants, or by offering services or products which are useful to our community – goes back into further our mission, allowing us to reach as many people as possible!
Our Story
In 2017, mother – daughter team Helen and Hannah Carmichael were on holiday together, and started talking about their solo living journeys (you can read more about Hannah’s story here). As they talked, they realised how similar their experiences had been – the highs, lows, frustations and opportunities. They realised they’d both looked online for advice about the practical and emotional aspects of solo living, and felt frustrated at how little was available. And they agreed that they saw their lives as the opposite of the ‘sad and lonely’ stereotype still often associated with people who live alone. After that first lightbulb moment, they couldn’t stop talking – and founded the Living Well Alone Project later that year.
Our Mission
Our aim is to transform society’s perceptions of what it means to live alone, celebrating the independence, resilience and spirit of those who do, and empowering those living solo to live confident, authentic, healthy, connected, inspired lives – no matter their starting point. We do this by:
- Celebrating and normalising the experience of living alone by collecting stories from those who live solo, and sharing these widely
-
- Promoting the potential for living alone to be a positive, empowering, joyful experience, with practical strategies drawn from real people’s lives for making the most of your space, time and autonomy
-
- Providing reassurance, support and practical advice for anyone who is struggling with the day to day realities of life alone, or thinking about starting a life alone
- Kickstarting open, honest conversations about the realities of living alone – online, between individuals, and in our communities, and helping people who don’t live alone to understand what it’s like – and how to meaningfully relate to people who do
- Lobbying on behalf of people who live alone on the issues that matter
-
- Working with community leaders to recognise and respond to the needs of this under-represented demographic, and to tackle head-on the stigma that can sometimes be associated with living alone
-
- Building a global community of 'solos' - people who live alone and / or experience the world in a uniquely individual way
What we do
We publish new blog posts regularly covering all aspects of solo living, and we source the most upto date, informative, relevant, lively content on living alone from across the web. Signing up for our newsletter will mean you never miss another update!
We’re also growing communities via our Facebook page and SoloTalk chat group, and we’re developing products and services which make life better for people who live alone. We’re also building connections with individuals, groups, organisations, charities and businesses who are trying to do the same.
Our ambition is to turn this site into a one-stop-shop for anyone living alone, and anyone who wants to find out more about a solo lifestyle.
Stay in touch
To keep up to date with everything that’s going on at the Living Well Alone Project, you can:
Get Involved
You can:
- Write for us as a guest blogger
- Become a moderator - helping us keep our Facebook page and chat group as safe, supportive spaces for everyone
Contact us on hello@livingwellalone.com if you are interested in either of these roles.
Contact Us
We love hearing from people with ideas for how we can expand and improve what we’re doing at the Project. We also love collaborating! Please drop us a line on hello@livingwellalone.com and let us know what you’re thinking, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
