We live in a world of constant ability to be in contact with others. If we are not with others, we are texting, phoning, emailing. Office spaces are abandoning cubicles in favor of shared desks and open plan spaces. People share their lives on face book, instagram, twitter, snap chat. We are always going somewhere, doing something or at least chatting to someone about going somewhere or doing somehthing. Even cooking our dinner, and what we have had to eat has become something that is worthy of social sharing.
It’s great that we can connect, it’s important and beneficial to leading a healthy balanced life. However one result of all this social connection is that many of us rarely have time alone by ourselves. Spending some time with yourself can reap enormous benefits.
Solitude is good for our mental and emotional well-being. When we don’t take time alone, and are always in a state of activity and conversation we can easily overlook the need to deal to the deeper issues of our life.
Even times of loneliness don’t need to be a negative thing. For in loneliness we find intimacy with God. When alone it can help us respond to God speaking to us. Without that quietness we can easily miss Him amongst all the noise.
Here are 10 benefits of spending time alone:
1.We recuperate and recharge. All of us – even the extroverts need time to stop, get quiet, recuperate and recharge. Peace, quiet and mental and emotional solitude is highly beneficial to recovering from the stress and pressures of daily life.
2. You can do what you want. When you are alone you can take time to enjoy things you really enjoy. Being alone frees us up to do exactly what we want to do. We can eat, dress how we want to, go where we wish and enjoy what is meaningful to us. There is no pressure to perform or be accomplished at anything. You are free to just enjoy the time.
3. Our creativity flourishes. When we spend time alone we can explore some of the more hidden parts of our personality or interests. You may never get a chance to go to a art gallery, catch a certain type of movie or restaurant, or try a new hobby because others around you may not share your interests. Being alone removes outside influences and allows us to just explore our creativity, allowing our imaginations to explore new possibilities freely.
4. Being alone increases our emotional and even physical ability to sort through problems. We gain understanding of ourselves. Just sitting and spending time alone enables us to think and pray. This helps us recognise and understand our emotions, and what is happening in our inner world better. Our ability then increases to use this awareness to manage better our behavior, responses and relationships while we are with others.
5..You get more done. Spending time alone eliminates distractions and our to do lists can get shorter as we focus uninterrupted time on what is on our lists. We become less stressed and fewer things weigh on our minds.
6.. Being alone helps us become more relaxed and tolerant. After some calm peaceful enjoyable time alone doing what we would like to do, the little annoyances are less of a drama because we are now feeling relaxed.
7. We appreciate other people more. Absence makes the heart fonder. Time alone lets us see people in a fresh light and reminds us of what we like and are grateful for. We are calmer and can be more reflective of what and who is important to us.
Time by yourself can benefit you in so many ways, plus making the time you spend with others more enjoyable as a result of being more in tune with yourself. We reconnect with ourselves, with God and become more joyful and relaxed.
What would you enjoy doing on your own this week? Make a date with yourself and enjoy being with You!
‘This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength‘ (Isaiah 30:15)
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