How To Enjoy Alone Time? Advice From An Introvert
If I’m being completely honest, I’ve never fully understood how people can hate being alone with themselves because that tends to be when I’m happiest and most myself. But because of my love being alone, I do have advice on how to foster that love in all different emotional scenarios. If you want to know the best way to learn to love being alone, it is to sit with the hard emotions, work through them, and heal.
Unfortunately, that is not the answer most people want. People who don’t like being alone, often feel this way because they are trying to avoid these painful feelings. If this is the case for you, don’t worry I have ways to enjoy being alone without doing the brunt of inner healing work so stay tuned.
Remember You Will Always Be Your Own Best Friend
Figure out what you like about yourself. I don’t care if you hate yourself more than anyone in the world, you can always find one redeeming quality about yourself. I should know since I still liked being alone when I deeply hated myself. So figure out what it is and focus on it when you are alone. Do more than focus on it, celebrate it! It could be the most mundane physical thing or the deepest emotional quality. It honestly doesn’t matter. All that matters is focusing on what is good about yourself and what makes you enjoy yourself.
We spend so long trying to find decent enjoyable qualities in others because we think we have to be around them and therefore should like them. News flash!! The only person you have to be around is yourself. Therefore that is the only person you need to find things you like about them.
Alone Time Doesn’t Need To Mean Negative Thought Cycles
Silence doesn’t have to mean endless thinking. A lot of people that hate being alone try to always have background noise on in their alone. It could be tv shows, music, podcast, etc. But there is a fear that with silence their thoughts will lead to dark paths. I am not saying that can’t happen. But silence also allows for moments of peace within yourself. This is why so many people value daily meditation.
Sadly, to people that have never meditated or have a lot of anxiety, meditation can seem like a mountain too tall to climb. I think people should always focus on the heart of meditation, mindfulness. It is about slowing down, ignoring all the external stimuli, and checking with yourself. You need silence sometimes to truly know what’s going on with yourself. So try five mins of silence. Get lost in the details of wallpaper or close your eyes and see how your body feels or tune in to your breathing and think of what the act of breathing makes you feel.
Being Alone Is A Time To Find Yourself
There are so many amazing hobbies to do by yourself. It’s a great opportunity to expand your brain, physical skills, and/or creativity. Picking up a niche hobby not only makes you vastly more interesting in small talk at parties, but it also helps you learn more about yourself.
Escape Into Life Other Than Your Own
Now I don’t recommend escapism as the main reason to spend time with yourself but there is a benefit in escaping your life at times. It allows you to recharge and look at things from a new perspective. So how does one escape when alone? Easy. Books. Read or listen to an audiobook that truly pulls you in and gives you that spark. There is a book for everyone in this world, you just need to find it.
Something I love so much about all types of books is it provides a way for you to develop in a similar way to socialize and relate with humans but it also yourself to put yourself in situations you normally wouldn’t. It’s kind of like playing out a very big what-if scenario you had never thought about. While some may think it seems useless, there is always something to take back and use in your real life. It also gives you a chance to think about how you would truly react in different situations. Providing you to be reflective even if you aren’t normally that type of person.
Humans are social creatures meant to work together but we do all need alone time. We can’t truly know ourselves or be ourselves without moments only with ourselves. And if you can’t truly know or be yourself, you can’t truly be happy. I hope this blog provides some guidance in your journey of connecting with yourself through alone time.
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Blog by Nicole Asherah. Nicole Asherah is an artist who tries to connect people to intimate moments, feelings, and relationships experienced throughout life through her poetry, paintings, and photography.
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