If your life is anything like mine, you are bombarded with work, school, and people. Out of these three, people matter the most to me. Being the extrovert I am, I'm in constant search for social stimulation. I have gotten better over the last year, but if I'm not having some exciting social engagment on a Friday night I feel depressed and unfulfilled. This comes with a big side of FOMO.
Many a time I would lay on my bed all dressed up with the intent of going out, meeting new people, and sharing the experience with friends. However, like plans often do, mine would often fall through on account of some factor that was out of my control. How would these Friday nights end up going? Not so good. I would experience feelings of boredom, anxiety, and shame over time wasted doing nothing. This is an example of a night that could have been spent on doing something productive, useful, or emotionally furfilling. I took it upon myself to solve this friday night problem of mine, and not just for friday but every day of the week for that matter.
How does one start turning time alone as a positive thing? The first step is excepting the reality that alone time is beneficial. Being alone provides the opportunity to relax without people soaking your energy. Once you are recharged you will be able to offer more to those around you. Take this time to be alone with your thoughts. Some people seek the company of others to distract them from their own thoughts. This might be at times harmless, but will this really encourage you to grow through your struggles and be at peace? Faced with adversity, one should create a healthy environment alone to self reflect and grow. How does one go about doing so? I've come up with a list of activites that help me "check in" with myself.
1.) Going for a walk or run if the weather is nice. Maybe one shouldn't have a destination in mind? Just go with it...
2.) Listening to a good play list. I highly recommend picking music that speaks to wholesome, relaxing, and positive emotions.
3.) Creating a beautiful environment. Maybe this means turning on twinkle lights, cleaning your room, or making your bed. Cook those sticky buns you've been craving!
4.) Read, write, draw, paint, or do any hobby that speaks to you. Reading inspirational quotes, religious texts, or inspiring litature is always a good idea. Writing down your thoughts and aspirations also has many benefits for setting your mindset on track.
If you have a chunk of time I would recommend doing a combination of these activities during your alone time. For the individual these positive and uplifting activies could vary. The important thing is to to get in touch with the bigger picture doing things that your higher self enjoys. So how is this "revelation" to come to pass? By letting go.
Life is not "when" life is now. What you can do now is better yourself and become a person who is really is in touch with who they are and who they are working to become. This calmer, peaceful, and grounded you will then be more apt to thrive in all work, school, and social environments. The next time your Friday night plans fall through go for a run, pick up a book, and analize your thoughts. Which has the greater long term postive affects - an exciting Friday night or a chill night where you really discoverd what was going up in that crazy head of yours and made some sense of it?
Take a mind walk, excape the crowd!