Learning to be happy alone is a goal that is too often overlooked and should instead be a priority.
In fact, people too often view solitude as a problem to solve rather than an opportunity to build a deeper relationship with oneself.
However, achieving a sense of complete satisfaction in your own company is not only possible but can also be incredibly liberating and rewarding.
This is because being happy alone doesn’t mean isolating yourself or giving up on relationships with others, but rather learning to develop a fulfilling and authentic connection with yourself.
Of course, like everything else, it’s easier said than done.
Being happy alone is a personal and unique journey. It takes time, patience, and a good dose of kindness towards oneself. But once you reach that point, you’ll discover a new source of strength and serenity that will accompany you in every aspect of your life.
To help you on this journey of self-exploration, we have selected some expert tips for building a healthy relationship with yourself, turning solitude into an opportunity for lasting personal growth.
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Build a relationship with yourself
To truly feel content alone, the priority is to first build a relationship with yourself. This means you have to really get to know yourself, just as you would with anyone else with whom you want to establish a relationship.
You might think you already know yourself well, maybe even more than you’d like. But most of what we know about ourselves often concerns who we think we should be, rather than who we truly are.
Knowing yourself unconditionally and without judgment is the first step to both learning to love yourself and being happy alone.
Spend time alone, doing what you enjoy
We are often taught to be selfless, to prioritize others’ needs before our own, and, if possible, to suppress our own needs entirely. But it’s important to remember that putting yourself first is a healthy act.
So, try spending some time alone, doing what you enjoy most.
Try creating a small ritual, like lighting a candle or writing in a journal, to mark the beginning of your personal journey toward self-love and appreciation of solitude.
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To be happy alone, be honest with yourself
When we feel lonely, we often immediately try to expand our social circle, believing that greater intimacy with others is the answer to our emptiness. While this approach may be helpful in some circumstances, the deepest form of loneliness we experience stems from our disconnection with ourselves.
To heal this rift, start by being curious about who you are, what you truly feel in certain situations, and what you really want out of life. When you begin to pay attention to yourself and relate to yourself with curiosity and kindness, you will form a new kind of intimacy, which is actually the most reliable remedy for loneliness.
Focus on your desires, not duties
Try exploring your narrative and your fundamental belief about what it means to spend time alone.
Enjoying time with yourself requires you to evolve your idea of yourself from someone whose purpose is to pay attention to and serve others, to someone who deserves your own attention—simply because you need it and desire it.
So, when you spend time alone, keep the focus on “What do I want?” Much of how we spend our time is based on the question, “What should I do?” But when you allow yourself to live according to what you desire, the time spent with yourself has the chance to be joyful and truly nourishing.
This article first appeared on Grazia.it
