“I just want to be alone” is a common phrase I tell my friends and family. I do not desire solitude because I am sad or upset; I want to be alone because I enjoy spending time with myself. When people realize how much time I am by alone, they might reason that I do this because I am an extreme introvert. While that is correct, that is not the only reason why I isolate myself from the world at times.
Solitude allows me to learn more about myself. When I am alone, I can think about how I feel and what I believe. I have become quite acquainted with myself over the years, and I wholly believe it has helped me develop into a more well-rounded, healthy person. Because of my frequent introspection, I have the ability to bounce back fairly quickly after a sobering or difficult time because I gave myself the opportunity to think about the event at hand and actually heal.
When I am alone, I can think of new ideas and be productive. I often get inspired when I am around people, but I need solitude to implement my inspiration into works of art. Being alone allows me to think and create without any distraction from the outside world. When I am ever alone for an extended period of time, I am probably very happy because I am more than likely working on something creative or inventive.
While I love to write and create, solitude also lets me indulge in other hobbies. I can read and play my violin when I am in solitude. I can do these two things in public, but there is just something very special about reading alone and playing a beloved instrument by oneself. When I am alone with a book or my violin, my love for reading and music grows and flourishes. This internal love becomes externally visible when I attend my literature classes or perform a song; however, I need to be alone with these two hobbies in order to prepare myself to share my love of reading and music with the world.
Finally, solitude makes me a better person to be around. As an introvert, I need to be alone to recharge. When I am given an extended period of isolation, I come out of the tunnel a lot happier, nicer and friendlier. Even though I love to be alone, it is through solitude that I realize how much I appreciate and love my friends and family. Isolation offers me a life without people, and initially, I find it spectacular; however, as time goes on, I learn how boring and meaningless life can be without loving or being loved by others.
I wish the phrase “I just want to be alone” did not have such a negative stigma attached to it. I think everyone, even extreme extroverts, can benefit from times of solitude. When one is alone, one can develop into a better human being through introspection and dedicated time to passions. Additionally, solitude allows one to truly appreciate the ones they love. I think people often mix up the terms “alone” and “lonely.” The former one should be the goal; the latter is what happens when one does not spend adequate time alone and loses their sense of self in a world full of people and noise.