A niche but growing segment of the internet features content creators who are sharing their daily routines of living alone. These creators, many of whom are women, aim to spotlight a lifestyle that prioritises peace and solitude, often challenging the perception that being alone equates to loneliness.
Lana Isa, a software sales manager in her 20s, has amassed a significant following on TikTok and Instagram by chronicling her solo routines. Her videos, which include a tagline about being childfree, single, and without friends, have resonated with an audience who connect with similar experiences of living alone.
Devon Noehring, another content creator, expressed frustration at her solo weekends being interpreted as a symptom of loneliness, stating that the intention of her videos is the opposite. Professor Melody Ding, an epidemiologist, notes that while influencers can make being alone look appealing, humans are social species and require social connection for wellbeing.
Some health researchers are working to destigmatise loneliness by distinguishing between chronic loneliness, which is forced by circumstance, and the choice to live and spend time alone. SJ Hoadley, a UK-based cleaner, began documenting her own solo living after discovering Isa's videos, stating that her lack of friends tends to bother others more than it bothers her.