This summer I spent my time in Toronto in the house I grew up in with my parents. For The past 7 summers I worked a very interactive and hectic job – which I loved. This summer I did an internship that was completely different from what I have ever done before and it was completely remote. Going from being social everyday at school and work to working in my room all day was a big adjustment. At first, it was easy to feel isolated with only a few meetings a day and mainly solo projects. It was this situation that pushed me to explore intentional alone time.
I have never been a person who enjoyed doing things alone. For me, I only appreciated it after an overwhelming day or when needing to focus. I often admired those who could eat at a restaurant alone or plan a fun day for themselves. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and push myself to enjoy my own company and learn about who I am even more. This is when I started prioritizing intentional alone time. I would plan activities in my day knowing that I would be doing them in my own company. I started running to explore more of my neighbourhood and finished the summer running my first race. I rediscovered my love of reading and spent many days reading on my front porch. I read a new record of 27 books this summer and enjoyed every minute of it. When I made plans with friends it felt so meaningful and special to me. Finally, I started journaling again which has had such a positive impact on my mood and will be so special to look back on in the future.
Being alone for most of my days wasn’t quite as scary as I had always imagined. I found myself enjoying the quiet of my street on a Monday morning. I picked up a new hobby – running, and restarted my older ones – reading and journaling. My friendships felt more meaningful when it was purposeful and not just for the sake of having someone to talk to constantly. I can also wholeheartedly say that I feel refreshed after this summer and am completely ready to tackle a busy and exciting school year. Looking back, I now can see how often I filled my time to avoid addressing how I was feeling in certain moments. Although it can be hard, it is so important to take the time for yourself and enjoy your own company.