Alone and Lonely. These two words are associated often, but what people seldomly realize is that they are very different. Alone is defined as having no one else present or on one’s own. Lonely is defined as sad because one does not have friends or company. Like I said, very different. You can have friends and also be alone. You can also be lonely and have friends, but I will save that topic for another post. Choosing to be alone should not have a negative connotation, rather it should be a positive one. It is very beneficial for not only yourself, but also for others.
1. Clears Your Mind
Sometimes we have too much going on in our lives, we get overwhelmed and need to get away. That is a perfect time to be alone and just escape everything even if it is for 30 minutes. Usually when I need to clear my head I grab a blank sheet of paper and a pen and just write it all down. I start by making a list of all of the things that I need to do. I usually write down the easiest things to get done first and then I work my way to the ones that require more effort. That way when I start on it that I feel less overwhelmed quicker, because I have accomplished more tasks.
2. Improves Your Relationships With Others
I am an introvert and an extrovert. Most people have both sides to them as well. What they don’t realize is that we need to feed both sides of ourselves. I can’t be my best self in front of others, if I don’t first take the time to sit back, relax, and just do nothing. Being able to have alone time actually allows me to be a better person towards others. I have noticed that I am more patient, caring, and I am also more appreciative of others and the relationship that I have with them.
3. Become More Independent
Independence is a trait that I think my generation has started to lose. As a young child, girls all went to the bathroom together because they didn’t want to go alone. We are uncomfortable with even eating alone in a restaurant, or going to a social gathering by ourselves. When are alone grocery store, TJ Maxx or even McAllister’s for lunch, it shouldn’t be a bad thing. You are enjoying the company of yourself in your own thoughts, and gaining your independence back.
4. You Can Be Selfish
When in a group, most individuals want to be people pleasers. Which results in rarely getting to do what we truly want to do. When you are alone, you are able to ask yourself, “What would I like to eat?” make a choice and do it without any objections! How cool is that?! For moms I think this time is so important. Looking back on my childhood I have noticed that my mom always let us make the choice of what we wanted and always put us before herself. She is the definition of an awesome supportive mom (PS I am not just saying that because she reads my posts. Anyone who knows her would say the same thing.) and she rarely was given thte chance to be selfish. Everyone needs to be selfish every once in a while, it is just human nature. So take the alone time, go eat where you want, go shop where you want, and Netflix binge whatever your heart desires. Because next time you make a compromise or put someone else’s wants before your own, your outlook on the decision will be completely different.
5. Gives You Time With God
Have you ever heard that you should have a daily quiet time with God? Most christians would not say that it is not necessairly mandatory, but highly encouraged, and here is why. When there is someone important to you such as a parent, a best friend, a significant other, or other family, you will normally make time to talk to them on a regular basis. If we as christians hold our relationship with God just as, if not, closer than we do our own family, why would we not also communicate with God regularly? Makes sense right? I can always tell when I need to spend time with God. I am more anxious, emotional, emotional exhausted, and I am more hopeless. With the absence of communication with God, I start to lose sight of what is important and His promises that He has made to me. Spending time talking to God is important and is normally better done…. alone.
With this post I wanted to share that we choose to be alone in this world, not that we are actually alone in it naturally. We are constantly surrounded by people that are either opportunities to make a new friend, or old friends that we have had for a while. I encourage you to spend more time truly alone with your thoughts to not only provide self-healing, but also improve your relationships with others, and your quality of life!
