Imagine walking into a bustling restaurant, and when the host approaches you, you’re forced to utter the words that millions of people fear: “Table for one, please.”
In a society that’s always romanticized connecting with others, being on your own is often viewed as a negative thing. This used to be my thought process, too: being afraid of doing almost anything by myself, whether it was going to the dining hall or even just going for a walk around campus. However, I’ve recently come to realize that spending time by myself isn’t a punishment but rather a privilege once you learn to embrace it.
Last summer, I made it one of my goals to learn how to thrive completely on my own. Coming out of a rough situationship weeks prior, I decided that I’d devote my time to working on my relationship with myself. Here are three activities that I found could be just for me to experience:
- Coloring
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I got onto the coloring side of Tiktok, or “Coloringtok” if you will, and the satisfying videos truly mesmerized me. I decided to take up this hobby myself, ordering a coloring book and the crucial alcohol-based markers that all the Coloringtokers use.
I found coloring to be very relaxing, putting on my favorite tunes and escaping into my own world. While this may be viewed as a juvenile hobby, there’s nothing wrong with connecting with your inner child! Now I know that I could color for hours on my own and actually enjoy myself.
- Going on Walks
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I started implementing walks around my neighborhood into my morning routine, and as simple as it seems, these solo walks would automatically lift my spirits each day. Sipping on an iced coffee, getting my steps in, and soaking in that Vitamin D — what more could I ask for?
These walks not only started my day off right but also grew my appreciation for that designated alone time I got to have each day. Hearing the birds chirp with the taste of my iced hazelnut latte made for the best combo.
- Video Journaling
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This one might be quite niche, but this is for the girls who’ve never been good at keeping a physical journal (aka me). I found that making videos about my day was not only therapeutic but also a nice loophole for keeping a journal without the commitment of actually writing in one every day.
I’d take these videos and just talk about virtually anything, often recording videos in my car, parked in a scenic location with an iced coffee in hand (if you couldn’t already tell, I have a slight caffeine issue). This was another activity I’d do completely on my own, giving me fun videos to look back on in the future, as well as the satisfaction of keeping at least some sort of journal.
While these activities may seem simple, they slowly started to make a difference in my life and led me to finally love my own company. Mastering this art has seemingly opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me, now being able to enjoy several activities that I used to dread doing by myself.
Of course, there’s always room for improvement; I’ve yet to work up the courage to eat at a restaurant on my own, but hey, baby steps! Regardless, the alone time I used to fear is now something I could never live without.
When I learned to love my own company, life became much more enjoyable. So many people are terrified of being alone, but the pressing question remains: what are you so afraid of?
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