Spending time alone

Yeah, I have a day off work, I might go to the beach (weather permitting) or go to a museum or tick off one of the many touristy things I have on my list.

“What ... on your own ... isn't that a little bit ... sad?” a friend grimaces.

This year it seems my traveling buddy will not be holidaying, neither will my boyfriend for the same reason. But I still want to go somewhere, so I will.

But first I will need to deal with all the pitying looks, the “oh ... by yourself” whispers and “can't you get anyone to go with you?” questions.

Solo travel in Berlin (c) fifiheavey

Aaaaaggggggggghhhhhh. What is so wrong with being by yourself? When did spending time by yourself come so anti social? It really annoys me that we have to be with people all the time, always connected either updating twitter or facebook accounts to be acceptable.

Because a night in by yourself is “sad” sitting by yourself makes you a “loner” and taking a day or weekend trip makes you “weird.”

I LOVE spending time by my self, traveling solo around Europe for almost three months in 2008 was the best thing I have ever done. I never felt so alive, so liberated, so happy.

Taking time out to think in Fiji ©fifiheavey

Don't get me wrong spending time with the people you love is special, memorable and fun but so is doing it by yourself.

I am an only child, so maybe it comes easy to me, but I really enjoy my own company – I am a hoot! I enjoy deciding how to spend my time and budget, when to eat, where to eat, what to eat, what time to wake up, go to bed etc without having to constantly run it pass someone else. Making sure your travel partner is happy with the plans, trying to balance out each other's ideas can be exhausting.

But aside from all that you become more in tune with your own thoughts. I am not a hippy dippy, but with all this technology bombarding us with messages and opinions it can be difficult to actually have a fully formed individual point of view.

To really know what you want, you have to get to know yourself, like you would a new boyfriend or friend, you need to spend time with yourself alone.

Lake St Clair, Tasmania, Australia ©fifiheavey

There is nothing lonely about solitude.