With Valentine’s Day coming up, some people may feel lonely especially after a year of isolation and social distancing. It’s important to understand the distinction between being alone and being lonely–don’t let being alone fuel loneliness. There are many people around you that love and support you even though they may not be with you. There can be a lot more benefits to being alone than you might think. Here’s a list of a handful of tips that can guide your self-love and your personal time, especially during Valentine’s Day.
- Be Your Best Self
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You know yourself best. You know what you like and what you don’t. So why not spend some time focusing on things that you enjoy (and may not have had time for in the past)? You can listen to music you like, make meals you love (or order in), and spend your day focused on your interests. Granted, it’s nice to hang out with friends and family, but taking time just for yourself is important for your mental and physical health. Seize these moments to focus on you.
- Focus On Your Interests
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Many people have found that making personal time a priority can improve self-esteem and relationships with others. It can even lead to self-discovery of new talents, interests, and skills. It can be easy to get caught up in the routine of life and become clouded with what society and others expect of you. Spending time alone can help you focus on your interests without distractions and can even help some of those new interests turn into hobbies. Celebrate you and your interests on Valentine’s Day.
- Appreciate Yourself
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When we’re around other people, whether they are strangers or friends, it can be natural to put up filters or walls to be who they want to see. I’ve struggled with finding people who enjoy my random noises and quirky comments. I have learned to appreciate myself more and what I have to offer by spending time alone and focusing on myself.
- Gain Gratitude For Others
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When you’re constantly around other people it can be hard to look at your friendships from an outside perspective and truly appreciate them. When I started spending more time alone, I learned to appreciate the little things about the people in my life. Being alone gives you time to sit back and rewind all the memories you’ve had and dream for the ones to come.
- Build Trust
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We all grow up and maneuver through life in an attempt to understand what we’re capable of and more importantly, not capable of. After setting more alone time aside I really felt like I could trust myself and the decisions I make on a daily basis. Granted, mistakes are a part of being human but alone time can potentially prevent some. We’ve all been in scenarios where we’ve pushed ourselves in social or personal situations and realized our limits. But alone time can help you understand yourself and your decisions better. Essentially you learn to turn up the volume of your inner you.
- Have A Pressure-Free Valentine’s Day
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It’s easy to find the benefits of being single and independent but finding them on Valentine’s Day can prove to be hard. When you’re surrounded by commercials and “holiday specials” it can be hard to indulge in the benefits of spending it alone. Spending Valentines Day with your significant other can be fun but oftentimes there’s a lot of pressure and stress associated with it. Spend the day with a box of chocolates and your favorite show with no pressure to get busy or look good.
The word alone oftentimes has a bad connotation associated with it. Being alone and being lonely are two completely different things and it’s important to remember the difference. Being single and independent can be just as awesome as being in a relationship.
When you’re feeling like you need company, call up your friends and have a girls’ night. :)