There seems to be a stigma in our society about being alone.
People see others eating alone and instantly pity them, because people should always be with other people, right? Extroverts are admired and reinforced as the ideal personality type. Prioritizing social events over both productivity and relaxation is the norm. And while these qualities and practices may often be rewarding to one's social life, they can be detrimental to one's mental, physical, and professional well-being.
What people often forget is that being alone can be extremely rewarding. Sometimes amidst the chaos and craziness of everyday life, the best possible decision can be simply taking a step away from others and focusing on you. Evaluating your goals. Focusing on your passions. Producing content that makes you proud of yourself and your abilities.
Sometimes you just need a lil' "me time" to figure everything out.
Yeah, surrounding yourself with positive, outgoing people can bring you happiness and make you grow more confident. But being around people all the time can make you forget about your number one homie: yourself.
Being young and easily-influenced can make it hard to get to know yourself. Society is so focused on getting to know other people that we often become strangers to ourselves in the effort to meet others. Distancing yourself from sources of your exhaustion or distraction can be an easy way to learn more about the only person who is with you every step of the way.
Seriously, head to Starbucks with nothing but your laptop and some earbuds and buy a coffee, or three. Take a moment to focus on things that make you happy, or to figure out what even does make you happy.
Photography's your thing? Update your VSCOcam after meddling with the ten thousand filter options.
Like music? Browse Soundcloud for an hour or two.
Even taking a short walk outside and just spending some time alone with your thoughts can be so ridiculously beneficial to your self-understanding.
Don't let anyone ever talk down to you about needing a break from life every once-in-a-while. Instead of getting wrapped up in others' perceptions of you and trying to meet their expectations, focus on making yourself the person you've always wanted to be.
Because, in the end, only you truly know what makes you, you. And if you don't set aside a little time for yourself, you'll quickly find yourself losing touch with your aspirations.
We all could use some more me-time.
