I need you to do me a favor. Nothing major, just close your eyes and picture this scenario for me. It’s a Friday night, and the new chick flick you and your friends have been dying to see finally hits theaters. You walk in, chocolate in one hand, popcorn in the other, ready to be totally swept away by this on screen romance. As you pick a spot, you notice someone sitting all by themselves. Be honest here, the first thought going through your mind probably isn’t “wow, that’s cool that they are confident going to a movie by themselves”. Purely guessing, it’s probably somewhere along the lines of “that’s awkward, they couldn’t find anyone to go to the movies with them. That’s lame to be flying solo on a Friday night”. But what is so wrong with sitting alone?
It is so stereotypical of people today to judge another human being for sitting alone. In the movie theater, in a restaurant, hell even in a book store. What is the big deal about wanting to go someplace alone? Enjoying a nice cup of coffee all by your lonesome can be the perfect pick me up on a rough day. Trying out that new Mexican restaurant down the road by yourself is even better than going with company, more chips and salsa for you!
Being by yourself, even out in public, can be the best way to decompress. Whether you’ve had a difficult day at work, or you just need some space from that pesky roommate of yours. There is absolutely zero shame in taking a day, an evening, or even just a few hours to try something new by yourself. Sometimes, these can be the best experiences and can teach you a lot more about who you are. Even though you might be surrounded by busy bees and groups of friends, take pride in the fact that you went somewhere by yourself.
Go sit in the park alone with that new book you’ve been dying to read, go enjoy an ice cream cone by yourself, but most importantly, go enjoy the time you’ll be spending getting to know yourself better. I don't know about you, but I'm going to sit alone and be damn proud for doing so.
