The other day I took myself out for a coffee, and you know what? I enjoyed my alone time. I read a book and I cleared my thoughts. I think I should have “me time” more often. My friends were not surprised that I had alone time because we all agree that to be alone, to enjoy your own time is a revelation and a kind of meditation.
People often confuse the terms “alone” and “lonely”. To be lonely hurts. You can be lonely with a group of friends, or lonely, alone at home. But, the act of being alone with yourself is not a bad thing and it does not hurt. In fact, it can improve your confidence and your social skills, bring out your creativity, and help you put your emotions in order.
We live in a society where we focus more on, “Why that person is sitting alone,” instead of, “Good for them, for enjoying some alone time.” The choice of having alone time reflects battery recharge and stress management.
I can say that doing things alone makes me happy. I never let others decide what is good or wrong for me. I run alone, I go to fitness classes alone, I drink my coffee alone, and I want 10 minutes alone time before work. Also, I cook alone, I eat out alone, I take a walk alone, and I love going shopping alone. I find it liberating and extremely good for my soul.
The beauty that lies beneath this is the opportunity to rely on yourself. You choose your own pace, you pay more attention to details around you, you observe people better. Doing things alone makes you realize that you are good enough for yourself, and it prepares you to be confident and extremely good around people too.
A lot of people are afraid to be alone and do things alone. These people are the ones that admire others when they see them alone at coffee shops drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. But they are also the ones that judge them out loud, saying that they are anti-social and losers.
This perception is wrong in so many ways, because spending time alone is a way in which you can escape from all the noise the world creates around you. It gives you the chance to be silent and observant.
Recently, social media has finally got around the idea to support people that are afraid of being alone. As we grow into social creatures, it’s really important to have social media support in doing everything apparently. That is why it is good to have campaigns that support spending time alone.
I can see that more and more people are accepting the idea of needing time to reflect the actions they take and manage their thoughts. Finally, “alone time” is slowly turning into a new trend. So, the next time you see someone sitting alone, just smile, because the world’s perspective is changing.
If you think some of your friends deserve some quality alone time, share this article with them and show them how liberating alone time can be.
