The Absolute Power of Being Alone

As humans, we are social creatures by nature. Throughout our time on this planet we have banded together for safety, strength, and security. Now, as an advanced collection of beings, there is some crazy importance on constantly being surrounded by other people, whether physically or digitally. There is a power to separating yourself from the masses and simply being alone.

“Language… has created the word ‘loneliness’ to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word ‘solitude’ to express the glory of being alone.”
-Paul Tillich

Spending time without the presence of other people can be one of the most effective forms of therapy that exists. Imagine being able to turn down the volume knob of the world, and simply enjoying the silence of your own mind. I’m not implying that you need to run off to the woods and be a hermit to achieve inner peace. I am, however, implying that it doesn’t hurt. Having the opportunity to get away from all of the other voices we hear every day and listen to our own words in our own heads is a chance to reflect on what really matters.

I mean, think about it: All day we are influenced by everyone around us. Like people walking by and putting their own brushstrokes on the canvas of our brains. Advertising, social media, media – they all leaves a mark. Being alone is your chance to clear those marks and see what really lies underneath without any social pressure. It gives us a chance to see ourselves through our own eyes and love what we see.

“The great omission in American life is solitude; not loneliness, for this is an alienation that thrives most in the midst of crowds, but that zone of time and space free from outside pressure which is the incubator of the spirit.”
-Marya Mannes

To me, the real benefit of solitude is the chance to “reboot” your brain. When you unplug yourself from everything around you, your brain has a chance to focus on things in a different way. Concentration is the biggest victim of a busy mind. Your thoughts, when you are alone, can go from a flashlight to a laser beam. One thing that I do to take advantage of that concentration is keep a journal. Having the ability to stop, collect your thoughts, and record them on paper can do amazing things for your productivity.

Remember, it’s not a bad thing to be alone.

“I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude.”
-Henry David Thoreau

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