People tend to perceive spending time alone as lonesome and depressing. However, spending time alone can benefit your mental health. Regular interaction can become tiresome. You spend so much time exerting all your energy to satisfy others, you forget to take care of yourself.
When you are alone your smile seems less strained, your choices don’t depend on another’s satisfaction, and your wants and needs come first. It almost forces you to confront important matters in your life: relationships, school, jobs, money, hobbies, etc. Are you happy with the people in your life? Are you happy with how school is going—your major, your future career goals? Are you spending your free time doing activities you enjoy? Amongst life’s chaotic course, you can lose track of your individuality. Other people have the power to influence your entire persona, but the only one making those choices should be you.
First off, spending time alone is invigorating. Learning how to be by yourself is essential in figuring out who you are without the constraints of others to control you. And spending time alone does not mean locking yourself up in your room to wither away. In fact, it can mean occupying your time indulging in activities that make you happy.
You can do any of the following activities alone. Take pride in all.
1. Have a Night In
Have a self-care night where you only concentrate on yourself. First, make sure your living space is clean and serene. Take a long, hot shower to wash off your day. Light some candles. Order a pizza just for you or make a delicious dish from scratch! Food is always the perfect way to start your night. Have you been ignoring your chipped and nub-bitten nails? Have a do-it-yourself spa session and turn on relaxing or upbeat tunes; finally file those nails into that perfect almond shape and apply a fresh color! If you want to go all out, you can give yourself the whole nail treatment, including cutting your cuticles and moisturizing!
And while you’re waiting for those glossy nails to dry, put in your favorite movie or start that Netflix season that’s been sitting on your queue for the past year. Put on a purifying facemask too! If you want to go online you can scroll through Pinterest. Pinterest is a great social media choice, because the main objective of it is to search and save pins related to your interests and goals, rather than scroll through images and posts from other people’s lives. Staying in for the night should only involve activities that calm and relax you mentally and emotionally; this means denying any unnecessary people and pressures that can affect your self-esteem. Don’t waste your night scrolling through posts detailing the lives of others. Your only priority for the night should be you.
2. Go to the Movies
People avoid a trip to the movies if they don’t have a companion to tag along. The idea of sitting in that dark theater alone seems humiliating. Only couples, families, and friends can go to the movies. No, this is a social assumption! Why can’t you go alone to see a movie? You fear that others may judge you. Don’t let this stop you. Buy that large tub of popcorn and drink and watch your movie proudly. Don’t deny yourself an experience for fear of others judging you. Moreover, they should be enjoying the company of whomever they are with instead of wasting their energy watching you.
Forget about others around you. You are there to see a movie and that’s exactly what you are going to do, uninterrupted. Plus, enjoying a movie alone beats watching a movie with a friend who cares little about it. You can appreciate the complete cinematic experience. You want the visual effects to amaze you, dialogue to move you, suspense to excite you, comedy to amuse you, or romance to delight you. See a movie alone and you won’t have anyone ruin this experience for you. Movies have the ability to transport us to a new world and place, so feeling this effect will help you forget you are even alone. Lastly, when the credits start rolling you won’t have anyone to crush the film’s final effect. Sit until the credits end if you like.
3. Visit a Museum
Dress up and feel confident for a trip to a museum. You can spend hours at a museum admiring, analyzing, and finding inspiration in all its glorious historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural exhibitions. Effortlessly stroll through the different rooms and appreciate pieces of art that capture your attention. Empower your imagination by focusing on the details; you’ll realize your aesthetical tastes in the process. If you enjoy drawing, bring your sketchpad. Remember, no one can hurry or ruin this experience for you. Afterwards, go to the museum gift shop for interesting finds. Education combined with aesthetical appreciation makes for a perfect day!
4. Go on a Hike
Plan for a day when the weather is perfect to escape from the seclusions of your home. Venture away from the city’s constant chatter. Within nature, the world can seem quieter, more peaceful. You can feel both the soft breeze and the warm rays of the sun touch your skin. Listen to the welcoming crunch of the dirt and rocks with every step. Take a breath of fresh air and relax. Its restorative environment allows you to meditate and reflect. If you want, take your camera and photograph items that catch your eye: beautiful trees, flowers, birds, and paths, etc. A hike works as a perfect self-care activity to strengthen you physically and mentally!
5. Go to a Concert
Think of a time when you learned that your favorite band was playing twenty minutes away? This is your chance to go! A night in the presence of your favorite singer/band as they sing your all-time favorite songs sounds amazing, right? But you can’t find anyone that either appreciates your taste in music or that one friend you counted on has to work that night. Bummer. Now you can’t go. This circumstance is fitting for Donald Trump to step in and yell, “WRONG!” Buy your ticket still. There is nothing wrong with going to a concert alone. The purpose of a concert is to enjoy the music and that’s exactly what you’re going to do. While waiting for the artist to step on stage, you’ll feel self-conscious. You’ll tend to think everyone around you is staring and laughing at the girl standing alone at a concert. But don’t let this get to you.
Embrace it! Feel proud! Act like you don’t care and you’ll soon internalize it. Remember, you are standing amongst people who share the same love for this artist. And when the band finally steps on that stage, and you blink your eyes in awe that they are actually real, your worries will vanish. The music will start and instead of being a lonesome concert-goer, the real reason you are there will surface. As soon as that first song plays you’ll sing at the top of your lungs, scream and cheer, and even bust out a couple dance moves. And absolutely no one will care, because everyone else will be doing the same! You’ll realize the magic of it all when by the end of the night, everyone, including you, is covered in sweat and still cheering as the band says its goodbyes. It becomes a night you chose not to miss out on. In fact, attending a concert alone beats going with friends who don’t appreciate the music as you do! With this, no one can stop you from having a good time, except you!
Now I hope you acknowledge that taking time for yourself is not selfish; it’s essential. Realize your worth. By tending to your own wants and needs, you then understand yourself. And you begin to feel comfortable alone. Know that you should never compromise your mental, emotional, and physical health for anybody. Because no one can take care of you better than you can.