I know what you're thinking, alone?! Trust me on this one. It's not as scary or uncomfortable as you may think.

This summer, I spent a week by myself at my family's Cape Cod house. Yes, it was our family house so it's not like I was at a Mexican resort alone, but to me, it still felt like vacationing by myself. My sisters were appalled at the idea; when my mother told them, they both gasped "Alone?" Yes, alone. I packed my bags, left straight from work, and arrived at an empty house.

That week alone ended up being one of my greatest ideas. You see, when you spend 24 hours a day by yourself, with only the occasional cashier or beach parking attendant to talk to, you become comfortable with yourself. Do you even know what you're like or who you are without your family and friends? Maybe there was a weekend you spent home alone, but when you have a week with only yourself as company it starts to feel like finding a new you.

One morning, I woke up to watch the sunrise on the beach. It was something I had always wanted to do, but I could never get any friends to agree to wake up at 6 a.m. with me and go. So, this was the perfect chance to drag myself out of bed and go. Why did I need anyone else? I spent hours reading on the beach, with only a chair and my bag. I went grocery shopping and cooked dinner for one. You know what all of these things made me feel? Free. There was no weight on me from anyone or anything else. I had the freedom to come and go as I pleased, not getting caught up in the, "Well, what do you want to do?" I allowed myself to feel like I was doing something for me. I was treating myself, and my mind, by allowing it to be alone. I could actually think without all of the noise of other people, their pressures, their wants, their needs, and their views of who I am.

When did we ever get so uncomfortable with ourselves?

Spending a week paying attention to myself made me realize, I need to do it more. In two years, I will be out in the world on my own, as my own person. I don't know about you, but I would like to know who that person is. We should become comfortable being independent individuals, because after all, we are individuals.