For the longest time, I was afraid to be alone. The thought of being without another person and just completely by myself for a day, or few hours even, terrified me. I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts or alone at all really. I craved being around other people; it's what kept me going. You can't always get what you want, though. You can't always be around someone because they have a life, too. It took me awhile to understand that and to be okay with it. Your friends and family have other things to do. They are busy just like you and can't always be there. When they can't, it's important for you to spend alone time. This is a time of reflection, a time for you to rejuvenate.

There's a quote by Amanda Seyfried, one of my favorite actresses, that goes, "We all get stuck. We all lose ourselves a little bit in a fantasy or in our jobs and forget how we feel about other things. It's really important to check yourself, to spend some time alone."

This quote has always stuck with me ever since I heard it. We all get really busy with school, work, social life, relationships, etc. Sometimes we get so caught up in all of it, we forget to take down time for ourselves. As human beings, we all need time just to breathe and reflect on the day or the week. If we don't, we can become overwhelmed with everything that's going on.

I've found that If I don't have alone time once in a while, it alters my mental health. To be mentally healthy, I need to have my "me time." Whether it be reading a book, cleaning, or watching my favorite show, I need time to myself doing something I love. Being constantly surrounded by people is wonderful. It's okay to be social. But it's also okay to take a few hours out of your day to take care of yourself. You have to be okay with being alone because one day, whether we like it or not, we will all be alone. You are the one person you are stuck with for the rest of your life.

Being alone doing something you love is kind of like coping. You deal with all your responsibilities and everything that has happened by taking time alone just to reflect and be content. It's okay to be alone. You don't always have to go to the party or be doing something. You can be content being alone in your room listening to your favorite song without having someone around. You can be okay with being alone. In fact, you can even like your time alone.

I encourage you to try it, just once. Our lives are constantly running at 100 miles per hour. It's okay to slow it down. At the end of your week when classes are done and you finish your last shift at work, go home and just do something you enjoy. Reflect on all you have been through this week. Sometimes life happens so quickly we don't have time to process what actually happened.

You should spend time alone to give yourself a break. Being alone gives you a chance to breathe and recuperate from your long hard week. Not only that but to prepare yourself for what's to come. Do it for you and your mental heath. Better yourself by spending time with yourself. Figure out what you're thinking and feeling. We get so busy during the week that we don't have time for ourselves and our thoughts. That's why it's important to be alone, so we remember who we are and what we want for ourselves.