Over the past few weeks, I have come to realize that I am more independent than I once considered myself. I love having time to myself and doing things on my own. Those things could range from spending some time in my bedroom or going for a drive to the store just to get out for a bit. Doing things alone doesn’t scare me and it also doesn’t make me weird.
I was confronted with the thought that maybe, since I don’t like to be around people all the time, that my friends would think I was being moody or that others would just consider not bothering with me at all. This caused a lot of internal conflict because I always aim to make people happy and I want to be a person that people want to hang around, but sometimes I need a minute to do my own thing and that’s okay!
Being independent and comfortable being alone is a trait I’ve had since I was young, according to my mom. She said that before my brother came along, I had no problem playing by myself and was totally confident in doing so. This trait is something I have carried with me throughout my life.
My family and friends understand that I do not like to be smothered with attention and I don’t use them to define how I run my life. Do I like hanging out with them? Absolutely! Does it ever become too much? Most definitely. It is okay to tell people when you need space. You don’t need to validate your reasons, just allow yourself some time to focus on you.
Independence is a trait I pride myself on having. I love doing things on my own just to get a break from life once in a while. This characteristic doesn’t make me rude, an introvert, or closed off, it just makes me certain on what and who I want in life (again thanks for the advice Mom).
Not everyone is going to understand this about you but that’s their problem at the end of the day. So go hang out on your own for a while and see what your world has to offer!