When you picture someone eating alone at a nice restaurant, your first instinct might be to assume that they were just stood up. In movies and TV shows, eating alone is almost always used to indicate a certain character is closed-off or going through a rough patch romantically. Hell, even restaurants push that idea by having the smallest tables set for two. You’d be lucky to get a counter seat!
There’s this belief that going out alone is a waste of money. If you’re eating alone, just order take out. If you want to watch a movie, don’t go out to the movies, just watch Netflix. But there are many reasons you should take yourself on a date every once in a while.
Getting to know yourself
These days, we’re almost never alone with ourselves. Even with no one around, we still have endless ways to get in touch with other people, or mindless distractions. The only time we let our thoughts roam free is in the shower. But, if we never let ourselves just think, how are you ever going to know what’s going on inside?
By forcing ourselves to go out and do any sort of activity, we trick ourselves into spending time learning how we are and what we like. Maybe you’re really funny when you’re not listening to others making jokes, or perhaps you have a melancholic side that you’ve never had the time to explore. Create some memories and inside jokes with yourself, and you might just enjoy your company.
LEARNING YOUR OWN VALUE
Going out can be expensive, especially if there’s no one else to pay for half of the bill. But, doing something every so often for yourself can be quite easy. For example, just going to a park can be quite relaxing and a way to show yourself that you, by yourself, are worth the effort.
It can also teach you how easy it is to make yourself happy on a tighter budget, and set a healthy standard to compare any potential partner to.
RECHARGING YOUR SOCIAL BATTERY
It’s great to get together with friends and catch up on one another’s lives, but it can also be exhausting having to be social all the time. For more introverted people, some peace and quiet is a must. But why limit your alone time to laying around in your room?
My personal recommendation is going to watch indie movies at unpopular times. Not only are the movie theaters practically empty every time, but the movies are usually extremely good. And you can always pretentiously pretend to be a film connoisseur.
Overall, once you shed the initial self-consciousness, taking yourself out on little dates can be some of the most personal and self-improving experiences you’ll ever have.