Embracing time spent alone is an important component of self-care. Many people are uncomfortable being alone largely because it can be culturally counter-intuitive to make time for ourselves. Yet, it is vital to do so in order to fill your tank and continue to have the energy needed to create and maintain valuable connections with others. When you begin to make time for yourself, several things will start to happen.
You’ll be able to recharge your batteries. No longer will you be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted all of the time, because quiet moments alone allow you to regain lost energy and focus internally on what you need to effectively continue on your path.
You will have time to self-reflect. This is a vital part of maintaining balance. Self-reflection will allow you to better understand how you are feeling in the present. This means, if you are far too overwhelmed with the obligations you currently have on your plate, you can start to develop a plan that better fits. You will begin to understand your own strengths and weaknesses and acknowledge your limitations for what they are so you don’t continue to overfill your plate, which will only lead to unneeded stress and anxiety.
You will get to know your own emotions on a deep level. Because we are all too often surrounded by others, we tend to take on the emotional needs of those we value. And, we then give all of our energy to these needs, ensuring they are fulfilled. We often overlook our own emotional state or disregard it as trivial. We will tend to our needs whenever we have time. In the long run, the weight of constantly trying to put out fires for others is draining. Alone time will help you to reconnect with your internal self and better understand how you can tend to your own emotional house, so you will be able to better self-regulate mood swings and feelings of being overwhelmed or exhausted. In the long run, you will begin to notice a surge of newfound energy that will make you feel more alive and excited about what life has to offer.
You will begin doing things you’re actually interested in. Because you’re now making time to understand your own wants and needs, and the things you need in order to begin building a more positive life experience, you will pursue activities that interest you rather than only those things that interest others. While it’s great to participate in social functions that your friends and family are attending, it’s also important to make time for those ventures that make you, you. And, once you begin pursuing these opportunities, you can invite those you care about along for the ride.
You’ll become more independent and productive. Naturally, as you begin to make quiet time for yourself, you will start to feel more comfortable being alone and catering to your own needs. This will not only mean you’ll start to be more productive in your pursuits, but you will have a new sense of independence and freedom you may have never felt before. Embrace this gift. Feeling this way is a sign that you are gaining more confidence and a self-sufficient mindset via a greater sense of purpose and accomplishment that will serve as a jumping off point to encourage the passions of others. They will take notice of this contagious energy and be inspired to, too, pursue those things that make them happy.
You will become others-centric, but self-focused. Because you are encouraging others while becoming more independent, you have effectively transcended. You’ll no longer give all of your energy away to others, and the energy you’ve preserved will be infectious, so you will still be giving to those around you. You will want to spread the good news to others and encourage them to commence their own journey of self-discovery.
Alone time is powerful. It is perhaps the most powerful gift we can give ourselves.
All too often we get lost in the hustle and bustle of daily obligations and forget to give back to the source. If we lose ourselves in the process of trying to fulfill the wants and needs of the world around us, our ability to keep pushing forward will be limited.
Unlock your full potential by making a new year’s resolution to invest in yourself. It’s worth it!