Aloneness as a Mindfulness Technique

More often than not, being alone is something that not many would like to go through, and, naturally as humans, we are bound to incorporating social relations in our daily lives. That being said, to be alone is not as lonely as many may perceive it to be. It is to venture into yourself and understand who you are. It is to take a break from a fast-paced life that does not know when to stop dragging you. To be alone is to be mindful because it is in this state that you are your most authentic self. When you are alone, certain thoughts and ideas that were hidden may come out. Being alone, with yourself and by yourself, is also a strategy used to come to terms with certain problems or situations that one finds themselves in. To be alone is to take a moment of silence and listen to your inner voice, as well as immerse yourself in whatever may be around you.

Benefits of Aloneness

Being alone has many benefits that can greatly improve various aspects of our lives. When you are alone reading a book or doing something that you enjoy by yourself, you find yourself enjoying what you are doing at your own time and preference. In this way, you learn more about what you like and what you do not. This helps you understand your character and alter it if necessary – if you feel that your authentic self that comes out alone does not align with the character you showcase. Spending quality time with yourself truly is a promoter of your mental well-being and does make a difference.

An empowering aspect of being alone is you choosing to have some alone time. Having alone time – as ironic as it may be – enhances your social relationships and keeps them positive. It is essential to know that when you are taking care of your mental well-being, your relationships will be immensely improved. It is also important to note that just because you choose to stay alone once or twice, it does not mean that you do not have a social group to get back to. In other words, you would have the ability to go back to your social life when you want to. Being alone can allow you to reflect on your life and think of ways on how to improve upon certain situations that you may have faced. 

More benefits of aloneness include an improvement in concentration and memory. Another essential aspect of aloneness is that you put your interests first! Once you are alone, you begin a journey to develop the best version of yourself. Being alone also enhances our creativity, empathy, and problem solving skills. When you work on yourself by yourself, you learn to think outside the box. Further, having alone time increases your empathy,

How can you be alone?

By incorporating various steps –

  • Making a plan for alone time
  • Getting rid of distractions or anything that may come in the way of alone time
  • Value solitude