Traveling has taught me to be more observant, more organized, and more flexible. Most of the time I am responsible for my schedule, and I have realized that the majority of the time I am alone.
The luxury is that I don’t have a routine, I am not worrying about my daughter’s schedule, and that I can choose what I would like to eat. As much as I love spending time at home and with my family, my alone time allows me to reflect and be quiet. This may sound frightening or not fun, but I truly appreciate this time.
In September, I traveled to Asia and spent a lot of time alone. I didn’t feel the need to occupy every moment in the day, and interact with as many people as I could. I became very self-aware, especially when eating alone. It also gave me time to realign with my personal and professional wish list. My favorite realization was that I was able to distinguish between being alone versus being lonely.
I was chatting with a good friend who is single. We were talking about how empowered you feel when you are alone. There are times that he would love a companion to attend events together versus attending alone, but the freedom has made him a more independent, and in my opinion, a happier person.
Sure, it’s always wonderful to share experiences with others, but I do believe that everyone should allow time to be alone where you are the decision maker for all of your activities. I also believe it’s important to enjoy being alone.
At this time of the year, I believe a lot of us go through an evaluation of the year and set up resolutions for the upcoming year. I encourage you to allocate some time for yourself – to quiet your mind and be autonomous.