Here’s a little secret: you can go to events and places all by yourself! You don’t need to drag your best friend to a movie premiere that you’ve been waiting months for. You don’t need to bug your roommates to come with you to the new café in town. It’s fun to do things with your friends, significant other, and family. But just like the stars, sometimes your schedules won’t align. And that is perfectly okay! Don’t force yourself to miss out on things you want to do just because you are doing them alone. Alone time can actually be the best time. Give yourself a little me-time and take yourself on a date.
You know yourself best. You know your interests, your favorite activities, your favorite things to eat and drink, and at which pace you like to do these things. You don’t have to plan your day around anyone else because everything on your agenda is meant for you. Shop at your favorite store for as long as you like, visit your favorite restaurant and order your favorite meal, and walk or drive your favorite route the whole way there. You can listen to your favorite music as you go and really take the time you need to enjoy every moment. No need to compromise on your solo day out!
Your solo time doesn’t have to be planned. It can be as spontaneous as you like! Maybe a canceled class leaves you with an extra hour and a half in your day to do as you please. Take that precious time and make it yours. Going on a solo date can be something as simple as taking a book to read under a tree. Maybe you stop by a café on the way and pair your book with a seasonal drink. Maybe you take a nature walk and stop to take as many pictures of the sky as you can. Maybe you book a train ticket to another city and make a perfect itinerary for yourself. No matter how simple or extravagant your solo time is, make it meaningful.
Once you are in the moment of basking in your own presence, really take the time to enjoy the little things around you. You don’t have someone to keep up a conversation with. You don’t have other people’s schedules and concerns to worry about. All you have to do is listen to YOU! Enjoy the sun on your skin (or the sound of rain on your umbrella), take the time to appreciate your surroundings, and observe the world around you.
The thing about taking yourself on a date is that you don’t need a reason to! You can even romanticize running errands and turn that into a self-date. In our busy lives where keeping up with our social circles can be a lot to deal with sometimes, taking a little extra time to take yourself somewhere you really want to go can bring you peace and a sense of self. The next time you find yourself with a bit of extra time or an empty schedule, don’t hesitate to take yourself on a date and savor each moment of it.
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