Ever found yourself in a situation where you maybe have wanted to go to a certain restaurant or a new movie that just released in the theaters but you can't find anyone to go with? Maybe you haven't started going to the gym or signed up for that yoga class because you don't want to go alone.
As I've gotten older, I've realized that doing things alone is great. I'm a cross between a shy person and an outgoing person. I sort of fall in the middle so a lot of the time I like having someone accompany me to do things like shopping or grabbing lunch, but I definitely don't mind doing those things alone because I know how to function decently in this world and be able to talk to people without someone attached to me.
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However, there's stigma revolved around going out by yourself. Maybe is stems from thinking that if someone is alone they must they not have any friends or a significant other to do things with so they must be lonely. Then you almost start to feel bad for that person. I mean, isn't that the way it was when you were in school? If you were sitting alone at lunch or alone on the playground or were doing a project by yourself while everyone else were in groups, that meant you didn't have any friends and you were an "outcast," "loner," "unpopular," etc.
I get it. Your school days are meant to make friends and be able to do things with them like go to concerts or go bowling or what have you.
Now we need to move away from the stigma that you can't do things alone or you'll be labeled lonely or weird.
I think as you get older, you don't have as many people around you to do things with, especially if your interests differ from theirs as you grow as a person, so you tend to be left to do things by yourself a lot times. Here's the thing though, we aren't lonely or weird, we just want to do what we want when we want to do it since we're an independent person and that means doing things alone.
Guess what? Alone time is a good thing! You should go to the movies alone. You should take walks alone. You should go out to a restaurant or take a long drive somewhere or go to the zoo or whatever your little heart desires, alone.
I think we should stop making the word "alone" a negative thing. It helps you find out who you are as a person. Sure, going somewhere with friends and family or even coworkers is fun but sometimes you just need to do some things alone and that's OK.
Within the past year, I've come across the topic of doing things alone more than I have in my whole life. The best example I found of this (which I still look back and smile at) was at the beginning of 2016 when I went to a concert with a friend but I noticed the girl sitting next to me ended up being there by herself. Let me tell you, she was living life! She looked like she was having the best time. She danced, she sang, she sipped on her little cup of beer and she just enjoyed the concert like everyone else. Then toward the end of the year, I was going to a physical therapist and she told me (more than once) that she loves going on her runs alone and without any music because that's when she does all her deep thinking. Kind of like most people do their thinking in the shower, she does it on her runs. She told me that's how she figured out where she misplaced something in her house that she wasn't able to find for weeks before. The other time was just one month ago when I was watching a live broadcast of one of the members of a music group I love and he was talking about how he likes going out to do things alone without anyone judging him for it and that's where he gets all of his music inspirations.
I always walk around my house complaining that I should make a clone of myself so I'd be able to go out and do the things I want while still being able to take someone with me and not have to go alone. Then I question why don't I just go by myself? Why not? I'll get to do what I want at my own pace without the influence of others around me and I'd probably end up enjoying my experience a lot more because it will be everything I want to do.
Does that sound like being lonely? I don't think so. When I think of doing something alone that I really want to do when everyone else I ask around me says no, I get even more excited knowing that I'll be able to enjoy myself and not have to miss out on something I want to do.
I think more people should do things alone, and I think other people shouldn't find that to be a weird phenomenon. Don't skip out on that concert or that movie or a great day at the beach because no one will go with you. Get in your car, bike, scooter (I don't judge) and go to that place, whatever and wherever that place may be, and just do it. You'll probably be happy that you did.
I saw a little quote somewhere...I don't know where or who it came from but I really like it so I'll end with it; "I'm not lonely. I'm with me. I like me."
