I was hardly ever alone for the first 50 years of my life. Then, I got separated and became a nomad and eventually divorced my husband. For nearly 8 years, being alone has been my normal, and I love it so much that even when I visit friends I don't often stay with them in their homes, unless I know I'll still have some alone time. Sometimes, I do get lonely, but I'm not sure if I could fully share a home with someone again.
I love my alone time as well, but I savor it even more when balanced with time with others. Living with others is a whole other story. I've done my sharing of co-living. It has its pros and cons. I spend so much time engaging with people as part of my work that I need the alone time to connect with myself again. When I did a lot of freelance writing with little contact with people, having a social life was good for my mental health.
Gillian, I resonate with this. I have learned to become more discerning when it comes to travel. visiting others, and boundaries as well. Learning to honor myself, my needs, and what's best for our family. Thank you for sharing your journey and wisdom. 💕
Yes, being alone is the time for recharging, re-plugging to our own energy as opposed to the energies of the others, and it works as a reset. I feel the same as what's been said here in the comments, ie, needing the space and time for myself away from the others. I have found in recent years that being with people for a full day (at work, for a full-day meeting / event) is draining and gives me trouble going to sleep that night. That doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to being with people again - it's a matter of both sides needed.
A healthy balance really helps, especially if you are empathic, highly sensitive and tend to absorb or process other peoples' energy. I've had to cultivate energetic boundaries over the years in the work I do and being around other people so that I didn't get overwhelmed or drained. It's helped a lot. I still do enjoy my alone time, especially when I'm away from my phone and computer.
The art of being alone has been lost with all the overstimulation, instant gratification, and so-called time-savors that have been introduced over the past 50-ish years. I love to travel and often travel alone just to get away from everything and everyone (even those I love) for just a bit 🙂
Yes, it's all a bit much. Travel can be a great retreat from all of that, depending on where you go. Being in new places on your own allows you to observe and reflect on your experiences more deeply, which I find nourishing for the soul.
Your beautiful words bring to mind the quote that I believe came from Wayne Dyer..."You can't be lonely if you like the person you're alone with." 💕 Creating spaciousness to be with one's self and nurture mind, body, and soul is a gift to ourselves and others on the journey. Thank you for this insightful post. 💖
I was hardly ever alone for the first 50 years of my life. Then, I got separated and became a nomad and eventually divorced my husband. For nearly 8 years, being alone has been my normal, and I love it so much that even when I visit friends I don't often stay with them in their homes, unless I know I'll still have some alone time. Sometimes, I do get lonely, but I'm not sure if I could fully share a home with someone again.
I love my alone time as well, but I savor it even more when balanced with time with others. Living with others is a whole other story. I've done my sharing of co-living. It has its pros and cons. I spend so much time engaging with people as part of my work that I need the alone time to connect with myself again. When I did a lot of freelance writing with little contact with people, having a social life was good for my mental health.
A social life really is critical to my mental health. But having a social life and living with someone 24/7 are two different things, as we know!
Yes, so true!
Gillian, I resonate with this. I have learned to become more discerning when it comes to travel. visiting others, and boundaries as well. Learning to honor myself, my needs, and what's best for our family. Thank you for sharing your journey and wisdom. 💕
Yes, being alone is the time for recharging, re-plugging to our own energy as opposed to the energies of the others, and it works as a reset. I feel the same as what's been said here in the comments, ie, needing the space and time for myself away from the others. I have found in recent years that being with people for a full day (at work, for a full-day meeting / event) is draining and gives me trouble going to sleep that night. That doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to being with people again - it's a matter of both sides needed.
A healthy balance really helps, especially if you are empathic, highly sensitive and tend to absorb or process other peoples' energy. I've had to cultivate energetic boundaries over the years in the work I do and being around other people so that I didn't get overwhelmed or drained. It's helped a lot. I still do enjoy my alone time, especially when I'm away from my phone and computer.
The art of being alone has been lost with all the overstimulation, instant gratification, and so-called time-savors that have been introduced over the past 50-ish years. I love to travel and often travel alone just to get away from everything and everyone (even those I love) for just a bit 🙂
Yes, it's all a bit much. Travel can be a great retreat from all of that, depending on where you go. Being in new places on your own allows you to observe and reflect on your experiences more deeply, which I find nourishing for the soul.
I love quality alone time! This can be hard to find with 5 cats wanting my attention, which is why I love my morning walks.
I love taking long walks. One of my favorite ways of being alone. It also allows me to connect with nature.
Your beautiful words bring to mind the quote that I believe came from Wayne Dyer..."You can't be lonely if you like the person you're alone with." 💕 Creating spaciousness to be with one's self and nurture mind, body, and soul is a gift to ourselves and others on the journey. Thank you for this insightful post. 💖