Enjoying your own company

25 Oct Enjoying your own company

Ever want to go to see one of your favorite music artists live and none of your friends like them or maybe are busy the day of the show and can’t go with you? Or what about a new movie is premiering and same thing happens, the night of the premiere you plan on going you can’t seem to coordinate with any of your friends?

What do you do? Just not go? Because going by yourself would just be too weird…. Well.. WRONG!

I use to think that way. I actually missed out on a lot of concerts, or skip out on seeing a movie in the movie theater I really wanted to go to because I couldn’t find someone to go with due to different schedules, plans, etc. And forget trying out a new restaurant or coffee shop by myself, because that would just scream LOSER… lol… oh the lies we tell ourselves!! 😊

Look, truth is, I wasn’t secure with myself back then. I didn’t love myself enough to do things for myself and by myself. I was co dependent on having to do things with others. I thought it was too weird if I went anywhere solo and that people would judge me and stare at me if I ate alone or attended a concert alone. ( Releasing the judgment of others and co dependency is a whole other blog post in itself lol)

When I started loving myself and appreciating myself, I started doing things for myself and didn’t see it as weird or selfish. I became comfortable with myself. Life is too short to let it pass you by and not do something you want to do because you can’t find someone to do it with.

Is it nice to do things with a significant other or a bestie? Absolutely! But is it also just as nice to do the same things by yourself? Absolutely!

Loving myself and feeling confident in my being changed that around for me. I stopped wondering if people would look at me weird and I started living. Living for myself and allowing myself to have experiences by myself if that’s how it ended up playing out.

I always talk about this with people, but about 8/9 years ago I flew to Sydney Australia for a week, BY MYSELF! Yes by myself! I loved every second of it. I was truly immersed in it and shut out the world and was 100% present. It was pure and total bliss, hands down best vacation ever! I connected with myself in a way I would not have been able to have had I taken that trip differently. I went with an open mind and allowed myself to be guided to the places I needed to go and things I needed to see, and it was amazing.

Its quite magical the way life unfolds if you allow it to.

We underestimate having to unplug and just being with ourselves at times. And truth be told, if we can’t enjoy our own company, how in the heck will we ever enjoy someone else’s?

Sometimes people think I am crazy if I say I can go to a concert alone or a movie alone, travel alone or even go out to lunch or dinner alone. They think I am crazy or will say there is no way they could ever do that. To which I say… try it!!

I don’t take it to extremes and do everything by myself lol. Because let’s be real, community is key! We are all wired for community whether some of us want to admit it or not. And while I will gladly go to something alone, don’t think I also wouldn’t want to experience that with a significant other or a friend!

What I am saying is, it is ok to take yourself on solo dates! Want to try out a new coffee shop and everyone you know is working or has other commitments? GO! Want to go to a concert and can’t find anyone? GO! Don’t miss out on something just because you can’t find someone to do it with. Don’t miss out on the experience or some of your favorite things. Go do them! Be comfortable with your own company. Something about going to a coffee shop by myself lights me up sometimes, and I can just listen to music in my headphones and journal or read a book and it makes me happy. So much joy can be found in those small moments!

AND you can also meet new people sometimes and make lifelong friends!

One of my close friends I met a few years ago was at an event that I went to BY MYSELF! Now that I think about it, she was there by herself too! We both stepped out of our comfort zones, connected, and have grown an amazing friendship since! That would have never happened if I would have been closed off to not going to the event because none of my friends were able to make it.

I challenge you to take yourself out to coffee and stay at the coffee shop, take in the surroundings and music, and just enjoy that coffee. Take yourself to go see that new movie you want to see or that new brunch spot that you saw on the gram! Get out of your head and try it. It will be good, I promise!!

xoxo