Being alone might not be as bad as previously thought. Perhaps this is the reason for the record number of people now living alone in America. According to the Census Bureau Population Survey, 31 million people live alone and it has climbed steadily since the 1920s. One-person households also increased from 17 percent in 1970 to 27 percent in 2012. The reason for the increase is people are healthier today than they were decades earlier. Additionally, young people are deciding to get married later on in life, and this was reflected in the poll. Outside the poll, usually there is a stigma attached to people who are loners. Perhaps they are drifters, they are unhappy, or they are miserable--not true. Being alone doesn’t have to be awkward anymore. You can be happy without a crowd. Regardless, of how you feel about the subject, happiness can be embraced, no matter what the circumstances may be. Here are 5 tips to help you enjoy life alone, and to be successful at it.