Alone But Not Lonely: Spending time alone is beneficial and rewarding

It’s New Year’s Eve and I made one key, promising resolution — set aside one hour per day for myself.

To me, this means a variety of things. One hour to take a nap, one hour to shower and pamper myself, even one hour to put in my AirPods and focus on homework. Anything that felt necessary to add to my day, I’d do it — alone.

I’ve always considered myself an extrovert. Being around my friends or family lifts up my energy and just makes me happy. But after a few hours, I start feeling socially exhausted and that’s when I know it’s time to sit in my room, by myself, and wind down. 

By being alone, I can ground myself and become more focused or relax when I’m feeling drained. During the week, I plan when I can lie down, watch “Gilmore Girls” and take a nap.

I don’t mind spending Friday nights by myself after a jam-packed week or driving to get a coffee on Sunday morning. I like to slow down and take my time without pressure from those around me.

If I need to study, I pack my study bag and drive to Starbucks, spending two hours by myself and completely tuning out the world around me. I feel at peace when I spend an afternoon by myself, pushing myself to complete the tasks I have for the day without any distractions. I feel unsettled when I don’t get everything checked off my list for the day.

Being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. Reread that.

In the past, I didn’t know how to spend my time alone. I never enjoyed it and had no idea what to do. I depended on other people for my entertainment or to tell me what to do.

After starting high school, I’m able to motivate myself and even prefer to get my work done on my own. Doing things by myself has boosted my independence. I can go out alone and support myself without bothering anyone else.

I’ve learned how to be my own best friend when I need to be. Maybe that’s a part of growing up and growing as a person. As far as I can tell, I’m going to be just fine on my own.

 Become your own comfort and go-to person. Trust me, it’s worth it.