The Power of Practicing Solitude

Many of you may know that I am the baby in my family. When I say the baby, I mean 11 years younger than my sister and 13 years younger than my brother. I already know what you are thinking…yes a beautiful mistake lol. This means that I spent the majority of my childhood, if not all of my time, either with older family members or just alone- which I was perfectly okay with.

I never really thought about it much until recently. There is something to be said about someone that appreciates being alone and in their own space. I have never been the person that had to be around a crowd. Sometimes I feel a bit socially awkward. I rush to get home after a long day of work, rarely do I like to participate in happy hours, or attend social events. I love the thought of being home and in my own space. I took a few days off at the beginning of this year to gather my thoughts and unwind before I refocused on my goals for 2019. Those few days consisted of no social media, limited phone time, and a lot of writing and reflecting. I felt recharged!! Practicing solitude is something that many can’t fathom. Some may call it boring, but I find it peaceful. If you find time with yourself boring, then you haven't matured to appreciate your own company. Bloop!

Practicing solitude helps to evaluate many things in life. You begin to consider how important or on the flip side, unimportant some things are. When you practice solitude, you are now in a space where you are not easily influenced by what you see from others or their expectations. Practicing solitude gives you the opportunity to gain patience and feel inspired. You become more focused on yourself and your goals. You definitely need to try it and guess what? I have some ways for you to practice!

Easy ways to practice solitude:

Limit social media

Read a book

Read my blog (had to put in a plug)

Learn to attend things that will add value, not just because it is something to do

Spend time working on a project you have been putting off

Meditate

Comment less on things that do no impact your life aka mind your business

**Disclaimer: People in relationships need solitude at some point as well**