3 Healthy Ways to Get the Most Out of Time Alone
Sometimes, being alone is the last thing that we want. Because humans by nature, are social creatures, we have the tendency to crave interaction and support from others. And when we are lacking that sort of interaction, our lives can suddenly begin feel almost desolate and lonely. However, having time to be alone is important in order to have the opportunity for reflection and surrendering to one's own thoughts can actually be incredibly rewarding. If you can train yourself to really appreciate and to make good use of your solitary moments, then the time that is spent with others will ultimately be much more gratifying. Here are some useful tips for making the most out of your (oftentimes rare) alone time:
#1: Be your own best company.
One of the ways that you can begin to welcome some solo time is to really acknowledge how valuable you and your time really are. Think about all of the things that you can do when you have some time to yourself- you can read a book, you can take a walk and genuinely appreciate your surroundings, you can just sit with your thoughts for a bit... the possibilities really are endless. And you are absolutely worth spending some quality time with!
#2: Trust your instincts.
We have the tendency to rely so much on other peoples' opinions of ourselves that we often begin to doubt our own initial instincts. However, part of successfully being on your own is having the ability to put the necessary amount of weight and recognition on your own beliefs and advice. Remember that no one knows you like you do and, thus, it only makes perfect sense that you would out the value on your own opinions, whether or not they coincide with someone else's.
#3: Learn to really appreciate the time that you spend with others.
Having the ability to truly appreciate time spent alone can ultimately help you to cherish time with others, as well. It can allow you to really understand what you need in a relationship with another person (romantic or otherwise) so that when you find that sort of support and open communication, you can recognize how important that person is in your life. Being able to communicate effectively with others (listening, acknowledging, respecting, etc.) can only come from somebody who is comfortable with their own needs.