I don’t understand the issue with sometimes being alone, or doing things without company.

Why is that seen as being so depressing? Why must people feel sad for those that they see eating alone, attending a movie alone, hiking alone, etc.? There is nothing sad about that!

Personally, I’m someone who THRIVES with my alone time. I love my friends and family, but every once in a while life can get crazy and you just need to BE.  Typically that means BEING ALONE. I love going for walks by myself and just listening to nature all around me.

Paddle boarding soothes my soul when it is just me and the sound of my paddle gliding through the lake, or the gentle wake lapping up against the bottom of my board. Have you ever just sat in nature and read a book? I’m telling you – that is what heaven must feel like!

Eating is the same way! I go out to eat by myself or see a movie by myself every so often and you know what? Sometimes it’s nice. It’s nice to just be able to sit there and enjoy your meal. It’s entertaining to sit there and people watch. And sometimes, damn it, it’s just nice to have the silence. Yet here you have some people thinking you are a poor, pathetic loser because you are enjoying a meal out – alone. Clearly – your world must be shattered.

Now this isn’t to say that I take my amazing relationship with my husband, or the fact that I have some of the most kickass girlfriends (and guy friends) in the world for granted. I feel truly blessed in the relationship area of my life. I love spending time with those people, and the time shared truly fills my heart with so much love and my soul with so much amazing energy that I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But if they aren’t available one night, if my husband is working overtime, if no one will go do what I want to do – I’m not short-changing myself for fear of being a lone. That’s what I’m getting at….onward…

The truth is, I think those that venture out alone are some of the strongest and least pathetic of them all. Pathetic would be sitting at home wearing no pants watching Fuller House every chance you get because your friend said they couldn’t hang out that night. Pathetic would be not going out by yourself because you don’t want people to assume you a sad, lonely soul just drifting through life like a leaf in the wind. Pathetic would be halting your life while you wait for someone to join in on the fun while Sarah Mclauchlan “In the Arms of An Angel” constantly is on replay as the background song of your life.

Think about it, when you are alone – it’s just you, baby! You and your thoughts. That’s it! If you are someone who likes alone time I think it says a lot about your level of confidence and comfort in yourself. I mean – again – it’s just you. So if you can stand yourself for that amount of time with no help from anyone else – hey. You must be doing something right, right? Also- doing a lot of things alone really perfects the art of selfie-taking. That person you see on Facebook posting a ton of selfies probably isn’t as self-absorbed as you think…they’re probably just chillin’ out alone. Happy. Finding their little piece of zen (and of course, documenting it for the world to see. Totes guilty).

It’s also awesome to see people take adventures alone. I follow a lot of people on Instagram who are LITERALLY living the Wanderlust life – not the H&M version. They are traveling all over the world, on minimal cash, sleeping and meeting others in hostels and seriously LIVING LIFE. How inspiring! And guess what? The majority of them are women, and the majority went off on the journey alone. That is not sad – that is BRAVE, FEARLESS, FIERCE, and down right F*CKING AWESOME! That is what I call living!!!

So the next time you see someone eating alone, or in general just being alone – don’t feel sad for them! Usually the people who are out solo are the ones who are totally okay and fine with being solo in the moment. Feel bad for those who are not out, who are allowing their own social anxieties or perceptions keep them from living a beautiful, fun, exciting life. Instead of looking at that girl at the bar sipping her Pinot Grigio by herself and wondering “Oh I hope she didn’t get stood up”, raise your glass to her – because that is one fearless female.

 

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