Being a loner is not a bad thing as many believe. On the contrary, loners have discovered the beauty of spending time alone. Of course that doesn’t mean that all loners have abandoned the social life and the habit of making new friends. They just value their alone time a lot.
Here’s a list of 10 reasons why spending time alone is awesome. And believe me, there are more.
1) You can do what you want.
As fun as it is to spend time with other people, it inevitably leads to compromise. You’re constantly modifying your ideas to accommodate other people’s desires and opinions. Being alone frees you up to do exactly what you want when you want. You can throw on whatever you feel like wearing, eat what you feel like eating, and work on projects that are meaningful to you.
2) Solitude allows you to reboot your brain.
Constantly being «on» doesn’t give your brain a chance to rest and replenish itself. Being by yourself with no distractions gives you the chance to clear your mind, focus, and think more clearly. It’s an opportunity to revitalize your mind and body at the same time.
3) Being alone will make you more creative.
If you’re a fan of brainstorming with others, you might want to rethink that. When coming up with ideas and strategies, research shows that people come up with their best material on their own. Not only do you not rely on others, but you also don’t hold yourself back when working on a project, and will be more likely to try new ways of accomplishing a task that you might not have tried had you been working in a group.
4) It will also help you get rid of anxiety.
Stress builds up in our lives and it is difficult to differentiate between ourselves and what is within. Spending time alone offers us the opportunity to slow down, catch a deep breath and set our minds straight. During this process we rid our minds of thoughts that are negative and unnecessary. Less anxiety allows for time of innovation and self-searching.
5) You’re getting more comfortable in your own company.
This makes it much easier to relax about finding someone to be with. People who are often alone are much less likely to settle for a relationship that doesn’t totally satisfy them, and this makes them much happier in the long run.
6) You learn about yourself.
When you’re alone, you can truly be yourself. You might be surprised to realize that, all this time, you’ve never actually taken the time to get to know yourself. Like I said, when you’re alone, you can explore new interests without caring what others may think. You may find yourself trying out new activities that you never would have given a second thought if you were with other people, only to discover a new passion.
7) You value your relationships more.
No matter how much we love a friend, family member or significant other, there is such a thing as spending too much time together and becoming unable to function on your own. Alternatively, if you spend all your time surrounded by the same people, they can start to drive you up a wall for no apparent reason — overexposure to a loved one can sometimes cause us to snap at them or communicate poorly. So give yourself a chance to miss your best friend or your partner.
8) You have higher productivity levels.
Being alone means a lack of distractions. When working in a noisy office or classroom, it’s easy for introverts to lose their train of thought. Productivity means our creative juices are pumping. When we cross items off our to-do lists, we feel a rush of accomplishment.
9) You empathize better.
If you have regular alone time, you develop more empathy, especially for people outside your social group, research suggests. This is probably because you spend more time on inner reflection. Solitude actually makes you more connected to others.
10) Spending time alone is the best way to boost your confidence.
When you can spend time alone and enjoy it, you have reached a nice confidence level. You don’t need to be around people to feel special, wanted or validated. You can do all that yourself. Kudos to you. Many people feel very uncomfortable being alone. Almost lost. Start slow and get used to it. Soon you will love it and crave it.
