The Benefits Of Solitude: How To Be Happy Alone

If you're single, or you don't have close friends nearby, seeing other people in relationships can make you feel sad and alone. Whether you’re out in public or scrolling on social media, seeing other couples and friends having a good time together can make you feel bad about spending time alone. Solitude can be rewarding, though. By spending time alone, you can learn more about your true self, improve your well-being, and learn how to work toward ultimate happiness.

What Does It Mean To Be Happy Alone?

Being happy by yourself is a valid and attainable goal. You might wonder, though, “what exactly does it mean to be happy alone?” It may all boil down to coming to peace with your flaws, your circumstances, and your significance in the world. It could mean believing and understanding that your presence is all that matters, no matter how happy others may seem together. According to recent research, people who like their alone time are less likely to feel tense, moody, and worried. This only adds evidence to the notion that having a lot of alone time isn't a bad thing. In fact, it can be beneficial.

Spending Time With Yourself

Spending time with yourself can be a significant step in the right direction when it comes to being happy alone. Here are a few examples of how you can start today.

What Makes You Feel Alive?

Spend some time considering what makes you happy. Ask yourself: What was the last thing that made you smile? What are your interests? When was the last time you felt a sense of "awe”? Try making a list of these things. Make it a goal to come up with at least ten different things that make you feel happy. They can be as simple as sipping a mug of tea or planting flowers, whatever brings you a genuine sense of joy. You may want to take a look at this list as soon as you wake up each day and try to include at least one item on your list in your daily routine.

Learn Something New

Next, make a list of ten things that you've always wanted to do. Spending time in solitude allows you to concentrate all your energy on what you want to focus on, without having to worry about anyone else. This can also open up a wealth of opportunities for creativity. Picking up new hobbies can allow you to learn more about yourself, learn patience, and allow you to express yourself in new ways.

Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. If you're not ready to pick up a new hobby or explore interests, you could make a point to go somewhere new each week. This could be a coffee shop down the street or in a distant town—whatever you prefer. You might find that exploring new places alone is very rewarding, especially since you can go at your own pace and follow your own schedule.

Take Time To Breathe

Don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you find that you are frequently feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, you might want to try spending time each day focusing on your own thoughts and feelings. One way to do this is to start a journal. If you let yourself write freely for half an hour of uninterrupted time each day, you may be surprised by what you come up with. Journaling can be a form of self-care by helping you reach the core of emotional problems, and you may find that you learn something new about yourself each day. Writing can also act as a form of release, so stress and other emotions that you may have been holding onto for a long time can finally be expressed.

Meditation and yoga may also be helpful for alleviating stress. Both practices focus on self-awareness and the importance of silence. If you don't have time to commit to a full yoga routine every morning, consider setting aside five or ten minutes of peaceful time to sit, close your eyes, and breathe evenly. In the silence, you can try to empty your mind of all worries, plans, and thoughts. Try not to let your mind wander too far and focus on the present moment. You may want to find a quiet place without distractions and just let yourself be. These simple activities can help relax your mind and may offer other benefits such as cultivating a healthy mind and a clear-headed approach to each day.

Set New Goals

You've likely been setting and achieving goals your entire life without even realizing it. Setting some positive life goals may help improve well-being and can give you a better sense of direction and self-worth, no matter how small they may seem. These goals may be related to health such as starting up a new exercise routine or eating more vegetables, for example. They could be related to creativity or your interests such as learning how to draw or writing short stories. Or they may be related to self-worth such as meditating or journaling. Whatever the goal, visualize yourself completing it. What kind of person will you be when you achieve it? What type of emotions will you experience?

A lot of larger life goals can seem  daunting, especially when focusing primarily on the first step. Perhaps the trick is to start small. For example, if you want to run a marathon, you might not want to force yourself to sign up for one and complete it in one fell swoop. Instead, consider beginning a training regimen. You can start small by power walking around the block a couple of times a day. When this gets easier, try going for a jog around the block. When that becomes easier, try for a mile. Then try to continuously beat your time. Every week, your body and your form will become stronger, and before you know it, you may be able to run that marathon with ease. For most people, this method of small steps towards larger goals helps boost self-confidence and provides the necessary motivation to make significant progress.

Switch Up Your Routine

Being stuck in a routine can make life feel slower and more repetitive. When the days start to blur into weeks, the world feels dull, and it can be difficult to remember what made you happy in the first place. Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to completely change your routine. 

Have you been working a job that you've disliked for years? It might be time to consider looking for something new. Have you been thinking of taking a trip abroad but haven't had the confidence to book a plane ticket? Perhaps it’s time you book that ticket and go for an adventure. If you're not ready to make significant life changes, doing something as simple as rearranging your bedroom or painting your kitchen a new color can add some spice to your daily life and contribute to personal development.

Changing something about your daily routine keeps life from becoming stagnant. Another way of bringing about change and improving well-being can be getting rid of unnecessary clutter. Consider cleaning out your living area and donating anything you don't need anymore. A clean, organized living space can facilitate an organized state of mind.

Practice Self-Love

If you find yourself thinking about how lonely you feel, there are some things you can do to put things back into perspective. Consider focusing less on the outside world and your perceived lack of social connectivity and instead, take some time for self-care. Make a list of all of the aspects you love about yourself. Do something that relaxes you such as burning incense, taking a long bubble bath, playing calming music, or drinking a cup of tea while reading a good book. These simple tasks can help you refocus and look at your situation in a new light.

Embrace Your Alone Time

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of solitude is that your daily routine, thoughts, and actions are not influenced by outside pressures. You no longer have to change your plans because your significant other had something else in mind, for example. You can eat dessert before dinner every day of the week without anyone criticizing you. You can make decisions on a whim without notifying anyone.

Instead of viewing this solitude as a negative thing, consider focusing your energy on improving an aspect of yourself or your life that you've always wanted to work on. Instead of putting all your energy and time into another person, you can put this effort into improving yourself and making your own life more rewarding. This could involve your health, finances, spirituality, career, and more. You can visualize where you want to be five, ten, even fifteen years from now, and begin slowly working your way toward that reality.

Alternative Solutions

Sometimes, it might not be easy to find happiness in solitude, and you may have feelings of depression or loneliness. If you or someone you know is struggling with finding self-love, therapy is an option. However, if you're not ready for counseling, there are alternative solutions available that can help you better deal with alone time.

Keep Yourself Occupied

If you're bored and feel like you have too much alone time, it might be easy for your mind to wander off into dark territory. Feelings of loneliness or sadness can get worse if you’re bored. Try keeping yourself occupied by reading a book series, binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix, or even writing a poem. Whatever activity you choose, it beats doing nothing.

Escape With Music

Loneliness and feeling isolated from society can cause you to feel alone and depressed. However, you can reconnect in your own way. Music is a common go-to solution to escape the problems of your world and can serve as a means to immerse yourself in a universe of emotion.

Reach Out To Family

If you have a loving family, then the truth is that you're never really alone. Even if you can't quite remember the last time you spoke with any of your relatives, it might be beneficial to reach out to them. If you live far away, you may consider talking on the phone or even chatting online. It might take some getting used to if you don’t usually call your family, but it can make you feel less lonely and introduce some social time into your life.

Get The Help You Need

More than one study has shown that internet-based therapy can help successfully decrease symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. One study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that patients experiencing sadness or anxiety were more empowered after utilizing online therapy resources, particularly when compared with in-person treatment. The listed benefits of internet-based therapy include ease of use, cost, and greater flexibility. 

Online therapy can be an effective means of dealing with your feelings of loneliness or sadness. Unlike with traditional office-based therapy, online counseling may add a feeling of comfort and safety for those already dealing with shyness. If you find that your feelings of isolation are leading to low self-esteem and feelings of loneliness or depression, then the help you need is a click away. At BetterHelp, we offer online counseling with licensed professionals who care. No matter the time, if you are feeling lonely, you have the option of sending a message to your counselor, and they will get back to you as soon as they can. 

Below are some reviews of BetterHelp counselors from people experiencing similar issues:

Counselor Reviews

"Dr. Norton has helped me tremendously with my self-confidence and self-kindness. She responds in a very timely manner and is always sweet and professional. I've been living under a fog of depression for several years and working with her has lifted that heaviness. While I still have problems, living without that gloom hanging over me has been amazing. I feel more confident about solving whatever problem comes my way. She has equipped me with tools to take care of myself better than before and I will carry these lessons throughout my life. Thank you, Dr. Norton!"

"Kameron is the best counselor I've ever had. Not only is BetterHelp really convenient for my busy lifestyle, but my counselor is the best. She listens and understands what I'm going through even when I'm terrible at explaining it. She pushes me in a positive way, asking the real hard questions so I can have those moments of self-discovery. She's amazing to work with, and being able to write her and schedule phone or video sessions is so convenient."

Takeaway

Learning how to spend time with yourself and be happy in solitude is an achievement that you can feel proud of. When you come to peace with your own company and your own thoughts, it can lead to healthy personal growth and development. If you find you need additional support along this journey, reach out to one of the compassionate and capable therapists at BetterHelp today—you’ll be glad you did.