Embrace...the alone time.

Are you the type of person to just go go go? Do you enjoy your own company? Before Covid, being alone was something that haunted many. They couldn’t imagine a life away from the busy, from the people and from their friends. When Covid hit, we had to learn to redefine what it meant to embrace solitude.

Because we are consistently surrounded by information that is being thrown at us in a multitude of ways, it can be hard to find time alone. In fact, due to this social norm of information overload, being in solitude has gained such a negative connotation. When we see others alone or spending time alone, we often think something terrible must be going on in their life to be doing that. How would someone just want to be alone?

Embracing solitude is simply a place to decompress and regulate who we are at the time and what we are feeling. It’s not necessarily about escaping from what can be the overwhelming reality, but more about using time to put external influences on pause to benefit who you are as a person away from them.

I am the type of person to struggle with this. To struggle with taking care of myself, embracing the solitude and rejuvenating myself so that I can serve others to the best of my ability. What if others perceive me as a lonely person?

It is important to remember:

Being alone does not mean lonely

Loneliness describes someone’s emotional response to their circumstances of becoming isolated. On the other hand, being alone is a choice you make to become more connected to yourself. It’s being content with solitude. It allows for a deep sense of self-understanding.

How do we use this time productively? How do we fully embrace this solitude to ensure all of its benefits?

If I’m being completely honest, I truly do not know. I’m still struggling with this myself. But, I want to tell you a little story. It is important to understand when you’re feeling overwhelmed from external circumstances and take care of yourself. The other night I was feeling overwhelmed, lonely and just needed to decompress. I recognized my emotions and quickly decided to drop what I was doing and go on a walk. At that time, what I was doing was not as important than me being in solitude. Taking the time to be in solitude not only allowed me to decompress but it also allowed me to:

1. Watch an absolutely beautiful sunset

2. See the growth of my neighbor's potato field after the much needed rain we got.

3. Get in a little exercise

4. Listen to a podcast about patience

5. Reflect on an amazing two weeks I’ve had

6. Reflect on how I am continuing to grow as a person.

Being in solitude was exactly what I needed to reflect and rejuvenate myself so I could be a better person, leader and teammate. Even if I was in a black sweatshirt, it was dark outside and I probably could have gotten hit by a car, it was important for me to take that time. It doesn’t take a lot, but it does take recognizing when you need to be alone and reflect. Trust me, it takes practice. I am still not even there. There are still days I struggle with embracing solitude. But we have to do it for us and the people around us.

“Solitude. A place where you meet yourself, where you embrace and appreciate your own company. Exactly, where you face your fears and rethink your decisions. Solitude is that essential place to recharge our inner energy.” Tuwalily

Embrace… solitude