Give yourself permission to unplug. Give yourself permission to have alone time, just for you.
Whether you are an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between, alone time is very important. An introvert may need more alone time than an extrovert, but that doesn’t make time away any less important for an outgoing person. In our world people are at our fingertips – if you aren’t seeing friends or family in person, you can find them online. We have created an environment where it is hard to get to know ourselves and it is easy to become burnt out. Solitude is an essential part of self-knowledge and recharging.
Being around others can feel like a constant battle between give and take. Your friends want advice, they want a shoulder to cry on, they need someone to listen to their struggles or celebrate their victories. Supporting your friends isn’t bad, in fact it is admirable, but it can be exhausting. Sometimes we simply need a time out.
On the other end of the spectrum it is easy to slip into the routine of seeking approval from your friends rather than learning what makes you happy. Listening to advice from others is a good thing, but the need for approval should never keep you from making the right decision for yourself or from being able to make decisions on your own. Becoming self-reliant can be challenging, but it is worth it.
Take time out of your day to be with yourself. Listen to your thoughts and desires. This will give you a chance to decide what you want out of life. Are you satisfied with who you are and the direction your life is going? How do you feel about certain people who may monopolize your time? What are you going to do about it? Beyond self-reflection use it as a time to treat yourself to things you wouldn’t otherwise have time for. Whether you are taking time to exercise, road trip, or go to the art exhibit you didn’t want to miss, a little self-love is good for you. It gives you a chance to become an individual and appreciate what makes you unique.
Finally, once you are a re-charged, confident, self-reliant, and unique individual you will be able to give more to other people. You will simply have more energy and more of yourself to plug in to a conversation and you will value your friends’ company because you’ve had space and time to miss them.
Sources: Tiny Buddha, The Minimalist, Psychology Today, and Becoming Minimalist.
About us:
The Life Change Institute believes in restoring our clients to their optimum state of health and wellness and in establishing personal skills and practices to prevent future ill health and trauma.