As others have said, it's better to contribute than to complain. So let's do it.

If you are truly serious about going your own way, you'll end up living alone. Living alone is many things. When I'm feeling creative, it's a blessing. When I want to meditate, it's practically necessary. When I am sick or injured, it gets tough. And there are times when talking to someone would feel good.

People told me it would be lonely, that I'd be feeling uneasy all the time and that I would end up craving companionship. A colleague of mine lived alone for 6 months and told me he went crazy, that he couldn't do it. I told him everyone can do it, but that it requires a certain mindset which is not promoted in this society.

Mindset

Your mindset defines how you react to anything you come into contact with. It's a group of attitudes you have. A good mindset minimizes negative emotions and maximizes positive emotions. Cultivating a good mindset is the most important part of living alone, since you're most likely conditioned to have a less than ideal mindset - for living alone, that is. The mindset a lot of men have, is that of a male provider for a family.

Western society is biased towards for families. I think most of you will agree with this statement. I could go into detail as to why I see it that way, but that's beyond the scope of this article. This means that you've grown up around people who were all made to believe that the family is the number 1 focus and that everyone should go for a healthy, happy family.

Since MGTOW is about going your own way (away from what society wants), your current mindset won't do you any good. In fact, it'll slow you down to the point of standing still. Rushing into a place alone, unaware of your mindset, is a recipe for unhappiness. Some people toughen up and learn the hard way (their mindset changes along the way), others cave and go back to the way they were.

So, I believe a change in mindset is needed.

Solitude

One thing society doesn't teach us, is being alone. Being in solitude. Nobody around, no TV, no radio, no music, nothing to look at, no book to read, no food to eat or smell, no activities to do - nothing. This is, essentially, being with yourself, and nothing/nobody else.

Here's a study that shows how this is a problem: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6192/75

In 11 studies, we found that participants typically did not enjoy spending 6 to 15 minutes in a room by themselves with nothing to do but think, that they enjoyed doing mundane external activities much more, and that many preferred to administer electric shocks to themselves instead of being left alone with their thoughts. Most people seem to prefer to be doing something rather than nothing, even if that something is negative.

Being alone, at first, was scary. Thoughts used to enter my mind, thoughts I did not wish to have. Fear, anxiety, clinging to everything I had - you name it. Over time, you get better at it, but it's something you need to train. You train yourself to be alone with your thoughts. You look at your thoughts, feel your emotions, and let them pass. This is essentially what meditation is. Clearing the mind.

Meditation

Just like taking out the trash that builds up, it's a good idea to clear your head every day. Simplified, that's meditation.

I'd rather not name it, since some people have preconceived thoughts about meditation. That it's for monks, that you need to sit in a certain way, that you need to chant - bullshit. If you sit in silence, eyes closed, no external stimuli, alone with your thoughts, in a calm position with your back straight, you're doing it right. One minute is good. Ten minutes is good. The key is perseverance, until you notice a change in mindset.

And it'll come. That's the easy part - you don't need to force anything. If you truly wish to go YOW, calming your mind and just observing your feelings and thoughts will change your mindset over time, because you scrape away all the layers that have been put there by growing up with people that meant well, but merely told you what was told to them, withouth critical thinking.

The hard part is doing it. Starting it. Keeping at it. Also, believing it will help. I was not convinced at first. I figured society told me a lie (according to my own view), but meditation wouldn't help, I was pretty sure. But one evening, I just started doing it. I sat on my bed, despaired, alone, full of... depressive thoughts. And I closed my eyes. And I told myself I would no longer judge my thoughts, because I was tired of all the judging. I would let them come. And they came. And they kept coming. And it was painful. And it was brutally honest.

And in time, after trying it again and again, I got better at it. I literally trained my mind to be with itself, and it paid off. I still do it - daily practice, but the rewards are fantastic. You'll learn things about yourself that you can only learn by being alone, and paying attention. That's the key part here: pay attention. Don't just be alone, but notice your thoughts.

Conclusion

I started with living alone and ended with meditation. However you do it and whatever you call it, you need to find a way to clear your head from all the bullshit it generated and accumulates. This, in time, cultivates a change in mindset and your attitude towards your own thoughts will change. No longer will thoughts of loneliness and clinging to past girlfriends haunt you. The thoughts will pop up occasionally, but you observe them, look at them and see them for what they are: passing by. They're not here to stay.

This is important why? Because, if you're living alone - you are alone with your thoughts. And that's the main difference with living together with other people - you can't keep running from your thoughts. So learn to manage them. Learn to live with yourself.

If you're interested in meditation, I would recommend you try the Buddhism subreddit. They are very open minded and listen to your worries. They'll give you constructive answers.