I always consider myself to be more of an introvert. I enjoy a quiet night in, reading a self-help book. I enjoy hanging out with my girlfriend in the comfort of her apartment, watching Netflix or Disney Plus. It’s simple things like this that I enjoy.
I was never a big partier. Whenever I’d go to one of those large networking events, I would feel very drained at the end after socializing with a number of people. It felt like I was putting forth a lot of effort into something that didn’t come too naturally for me.
Nevertheless, sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do. And life is no different. Sometimes, we just have to do things that we don’t particularly enjoy nor are particularly good at.
I’d rather much be just staying at home reading a book, playing video games, or writing in my blog! It’s just in my nature I suppose. Nothing better or worse. It just is what it is.
Sometimes, I feel like doing stuff on your own can have a sort of negative stigma attached to it. You’re seen as a loser. A loner. Someone who can’t socialize consistently and competently. It’s seen as a drawback.
But, I’d argue that sometimes everyone in this world needs a little bit of solitude. A little bit of “me time”. To recharge and to reflect on the things that they’ve done. To reflect on the community, on the well-being of society, on their own lives, and what they can do to improve for the future.
A little bit of solitude never really hurt anybody. In fact, it can help people gain a better sense of inner stability. A certain sense of inner peace. To realize that everything in the grand scheme of things is okay. That we’ll all be okay at the end.
Regardless of the whirlwind of turmoil that is spinning in the news cycle these days. Regardless of the bad day that you encountered at work. Sometimes, sitting with yourself can let you feel a sense of inner appreciation for all that is around you. To let you understand that things are not as bad as they initially seem. That everything will be fine and dandy at the end of the day.
This doesn’t mean that we have to run off into the mountains and just stay there for a month of solitude or something like that. This doesn’t mean that we need to run off to the temple and become a full-on monk. It doesn’t mean that we need to shun and avoid our friends and family members for the sake of not hanging out with them. It doesn’t mean that.
It just means to take a little bit of time everyday to self-reflect. To maybe spend some peace and quiet time in your own room meditating a little bit. Practicing appreciation. Practicing gratitude for the exciting and mundane. Sometimes, you can get a lot out of your inner reflection in the moment. You can gain a lot of insight and perspective by simply sitting with yourself and thinking through your own life and circumstance.
It’s something that we can all get better at. Especially in this day and age where social media and the news is constantly bombarding us with non-stop news about the latest shootings, the latest virus death toll, and the latest bad news that is coming around the corner. It really can seem like the world is a scary place to live in.
It’s not the news’ fault. That’s what they do. That’s how they sell to their audience. Because bad news more often than not catches more eyes and attention than good news. We all need the news to stay informed - even if it comes at the expense of learning about bad events occurring in our society today.
But, solitude, is still achievable even in this day and age of constant interconnectedness. Sometimes, we can leave our house without our phones. We can get off Facebook and Twitter for a little bit. We can unwind, turn off the lights in our room, and meditate for just ten minutes as a starter. Sit with our eyes semi-closed. Focused on your breath. Aware of the events and circumstances around us. But, not attached to any specific phenomenon.
We can maintain an open attitude towards life. An attitude that everything should be appreciated. That there is a lot to be grateful for. Especially the wonders of human life. There is a lot to be amazed about - even the seemingly mundane process of breathing. There is a lot we can achieve with a little bit of “me time”. A little bit of alone time. Just being with the spirit of being. If that makes any sense.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert. There is beauty in self-reflection and coming to terms with your own vulnerable humanity. Solitude can open our eyes to the abundance of it all.
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