The importance of enjoying your own company

As people, we tend to stick in groups, so it's only natural that most of us feel the need to have company. The only difference being the extent to which we need it, which depends on our mood or nature and whether we have introvert/extrovert tendencies.

There's nothing wrong with either but as an extrovert, I often felt like I wasn't spending enough time with people and had a tendency to feel lonely, even after I've had a day full of social interactions.

I didn't always enjoy my own company but one day realised that, as horrible as this may sound, people come and go and the only person you're really stuck with forever is yourself, so you might as well learn to enjoy spending time alone.

Having come to this conclusion, I set myself a quest to learn to be able to go on solo adventures or simply do things I enjoy, alone. I am still a people person but I have to say that once I learned to appreciate alone time, life began to feel more full and I felt less dependent on others to have a good time. It felt very liberating and I would totally recommend trying this to anyone.

Simple enough tasks like going to a café, eating at a restaurant or even going on a solo weekend away, seemed almost impossible to me at one time. I just always needed a partner, someone by my side to help my anxiety and talk to me so I didn't feel as lonely.

This is no longer the case and I value my time and energy so much more now that I've learned how to do this. I'm much more selective when it comes to people I hang out with now and sometimes, I'd rather spend time ''with me'' than waste energy on someone who's not bringing any positivity to the picture.

Apart from conserving your precious time & energy, enjoying your own company makes it a lot easier for your mind to open up. It gives you the time to think creatively, relax and reflect on life, making it possible to live mindfully and be present in the moment.

Likewise, you can learn so much about yourself when alone. Your behavior, thoughts, and self-awareness are on the rise and it's actually crazy how much of myself I discovered while traveling alone and how it helped my self-esteem. Knowing that I'm fully capable of navigating my trip without getting lost and enjoying it without someone by my side made me feel like a badass.

I understand that this isn't for everyone, but for me, learning to enjoy my own company made life easier and more enjoyable + the feeling of being in full control of my emotions is something that makes me feel a lot more powerful as a person.

Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Do you enjoy spending time alone?

Paula

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