Over the years, I've learned that there's nothing wrong with spending some time with yourself. Actually, it's something that I've learned is vital for one's mental health. Having time to yourself is important because it allows you to mentally debrief things going on in your life, decompress, and have a self-check-in. We often check in with others about how they're feeling, but forget to look in the mirror and ask ourselves the same thing.

So, let me ask you: how're you doing?

You don't need to be an introvert to spend time with yourself. Personally, I like to take one hour every night to decompress which I usually do through sipping a cup of herbal tea and reading a cozy book or watching a show. It's unimaginable how much just one hour of "you" time can benefit one. Though, I do have to admit that watching a show or reading a book is an easier way to engage in that mental debrief. The activities I do for myself that I find most refreshing and mentally impacting for myself is when I go on a solo hike or just sit somewhere calming and people watch or write. These are more impacting, in my opinion, because they force you to check-in with yourself and challenges to entertain yourself without the use of technology, which we often resort to nowadays.

Though technology can be a great method of escapism, it also can prevent ourselves from expressing more organically. A TV show will distract our minds, but a walk in the park or a short hike will force our minds to entertain itself and to check in with our physical selves. Additionally, any form of exercise will increase the endorphins our body naturally releases, thus, making us "feel good" more often. I challenge you to find an alternative method for spending "you" time rather than resorting to technology if you don't already. It doesn't have to happen every day but as much as you can make time for you.

Remember, make time for yourself.