Something that I get told a lot is that I’m an introvert. Many of us are sometimes while other times we are not; it is not a fixed category. However, I have always flaunted the fact that I love being alone and that I would rather be away from people than in the mix. Many people have a fear of being alone while others have no problem. The fear of being alone has never made any sense to me. How could you not love being alone? You’re your only company, giving you the space to do, be, and act how you want. You’re surrounded by zero nonsense – just your solitude, and to me, that’s as good as it gets.
One common misconception I believe many people have about being alone is that one is lonely if they are alone. Yes, these two can be connected, but they also exist alone. For introverts like me, solitude is a sanctuary. It is what I use to refuel and ground myself after a long week or stressful day. I find that after spending some time alone I can think a little more clearly and generally my overall mindset and attitude is a lot better. However, too much alone time can lead to loneliness.
Loneliness is like the bitter taste of expired alone time and avoiding this is a matter of knowing what works for you. Depending on who you are and what you need, you’ll figure it out based on time spent alone vs. time spent socializing. There are other factors at play as well, but everyone is capable of enjoying alone time.
One of the reasons I value my alone time so much is because it’s healthy and there is a lot of growth; a gift of introversion is the ability to discover the treasures hidden within solitude. Our alone time allows us to reconnect with ourselves and be more in tune with our intuition, integrating and reflecting with our experiences, and becoming a little more self-aware. The way I see it, solitude and alone time is a form of self-love, and it can be enjoyable depending on what you like to do. We all need time for us to recharge and then take on the world again.
What’s your favorite way to spend your alone time?