To whomever is reading this, it is okay to be "alone." It is okay to not have a friend to eat with during lunch time, or to the movies with, or even a workout buddy. It is also okay to cherish your alone time because in the process of doing so, you learn so much about yourself. During this time, you learn about what you like and versus what you don't like. It is important to remind yourself that it is a good quality trait to be independent.

During tough times, it is important to use this time to reflect and grow as a person. Whether it be taking morning walks, starting a new hobby, or even reading a book, will help you appreciate that everything will be okay. You must remind yourself that you are one of your first priorities and that you need to be taken care of as well. It is important to not stress over the small stuff and focus on what can you take out of the situation. Being positive for yourself will bring positivity to other people.

After all, how do we expect others to love you if you can't love yourself? It is okay to take certain "days off" for yourself to unwind and collect yourself together. It is okay to want time away from people and to be your own friend. It shows people that you are your first priority and that you are taking the time for yourself and not only for others. With that being said, I enjoy taking myself out on dates (shopping, lunch, or coffee) and writing in my journal. I notice the stares whenever I do this, but I let people know that I'm doing this for me.

Writing in my journal has allowed me to put my thoughts in a more organized way and reflect on certain situations. It allows me to calm down and put things in perspective. In a way, writing in a journal is like talking to yourself. You are coaching yourself through something and giving yourself advice on how to make things better. At the same time, you are talking to yourself about your day and how great it went as well.

At the end of the day, you are your first friend and you're the only one that knows yourself the most. When you wake up to start your day versus when you end the day, you are the first and last person you see. You are also the one that can take the initiative to say no and to take care of yourself. It is important to take a step back sometimes and reevaluate certain things in our lives in order to grow. It is important to use our alone time wisely to do new things and things we enjoy doing. You should love yourself the most before you can love anyone else.