We’re always told that being with others and socializing is a good thing – we’re told that it’s something we should do more and more, especially as it’s meant to keep us healthy, happy, and enhance our overall wellbeing. And while that is all true, and being with other people definitely has its benefits, that doesn’t mean that being by yourself from time to time is necessarily bad. The truth is that it’s just as good to be by yourself as it is to be with others, and that’s why it’s great to try to get a good mix of both in your life. With that in mind, read on to find out exactly why it’s good to be by yourself and why it’s something you should do a little more of if you don’t already.
Learn About Yourself
One of the biggest reasons to take some time to yourself to enjoy your alone time is that you can find out so much more about yourself when you’re not reacting to other people or having to put others first (which, of course, is a good thing to do, but it does mean you’re putting yourself last a lot of the time, and that’s not so good). When you’re alone, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to really explore your own thoughts and feelings, as well as your own interests, without any external influences getting in the way and confusing you.
This fantastic opportunity to be a little more introspective means you’ll understand yourself a lot more, and that’s going to help you gain plenty of confidence and push yourself in a direction you know you’re going to enjoy and be good at – it’s absolutely a worthwhile thing to do. You don’t just have to sit with your thoughts either, especially as that can be a lot to deal with, and even more especially if you’re used to being with other people, and you can do all kinds of things, like play Minesweeper, meditation, journaling, or perhaps do an activity like knitting or writing a story. Whatever it is, the choice is yours because you only have to do what you want to do, so make the most of that time by yourself and work out who you really are.
More Creativity
Something a lot of people find when they start spending more time by themselves rather than with other people is that they can be a lot more creative than usual – studies have actually been done on exactly this, and it shows that when you really let your mind wander (which is easier when you’re by yourself), different connections are made that lead to wonderful moments of inspiration and creativity.
Although group projects are sometimes necessary, and they can be creative as well, if you get the chance to work on something by yourself, you’ll probably be even more inspired, and because you won’t feel held back by others or shy about putting your point and ideas across, you’re more likely to take your ideas further. In the end, who knows what fantastic ideas that’s going to produce?
Better Concentration
There are distractions absolutely everywhere, no matter where you are or what you’re doing – they come at you fast, and before you know it, you’ve stopped doing what you were meant to be doing and you’ve started doing something else (which can seem just as important, and may or may not be).
You might think that it would be harder to focus on what you’re doing and not get distracted if you’re by yourself because there’s no one to help you stay on track, and we’ve already mentioned about being a lot more creative (which isn’t always the same as being focused), but in fact, the opposite is true, and a lot of people find that they’ve got much better levels of concentration when they’re by themselves.
When you’re not being interrupted by other people all the time, you can completely immerse yourself in what you’re doing, whatever it might happen to be. With fewer external distractions, you can even get into a nice state of flow with your tasks and get them done more quickly – and the results tend to be better as well.
Emotional Renewal
So just what is emotional renewal and do you really need it? To answer the second question first, yes, you do need it. The first question is a little more in-depth, but in essence, it means recharging yourself emotionally and boosting your energy reserves back up again. If you’re the kind of person who gets exhausted by social settings and your ‘social battery’ drains when you’re out and about or at an event, then spending time by yourself is just the right way to recharge that battery and help you get ready for the next time you have to spend with other people.
If you’re able to be by yourself to relax, unwind, and really look after your emotional needs without any pressures or any expectations to do this, that, or the other, you’ll feel so much better for it. You could take a lovely solitary walk in nature, enjoy a quiet evening at home bingeing your favorite show, doing something with your favorite hobby, or whatever else, that time alone will really make a difference when it comes to going out and interacting with people again, and you’ll have a much better time when you do.
Independence
Finally, when you spend at least some time alone, you’ll learn how to be truly independent, and that’s actually very important in life. You’ll become a lot more comfortable in your own skin and in your own company, and you’ll be less dependent on others not just in terms of what they can do for you that you can’t do yourself (or don’t think you can do yourself), but also because you won’t need their validation.
Think about how freeing that would be – being so much more confident in what you can do and just going for it rather than waiting for someone else to do it for you or give you permission is amazing, and that’s what you can have when you spend some more time alone.
