In a society that tells us we need to focus on quantity over quantity in terms of those that we surround ourselves with, it is reasonable as to why we forget how important “me time” is.

We start to become clones of those that we surround ourselves with. We listen to certain music, watch certain movies, and read certain books, all based on the recommendations that others give to us. While it is nice to take recommendations from those that we admire and love, it’s easy to stop having your own interests. It’s easy to stop listening to that one singer because they’re not deemed “cool” or are even known about.

But when we do share our likes and dislikes, they may not be opinions that are shared by those we are close to causing us to start being afraid of speaking out. We are so afraid of “not connecting” with those we want to be close to that we forget whose opinion truly is important. We put others before ourselves and hold them on a higher pedestal than we hold ourselves.

We start to be afraid to sleep alone or spend any time alone, for that matter, because we forget what it’s like to be alone.

We have relied on the presence of others for so long that we forget what it’s like to rely on our own presence. We start to forget what it’s like to call our bed our own and what it’s like to put away your phone before falling asleep. Instead of honoring ourselves, we are constantly worried about how others are honoring us. We attempt to input our place in society so strongly that we forget that everyone else is trying to do the same thing.

We forget that sometimes it is OK to be better off alone.

It is OK to not receive a text or a call from a friend to make plans one day because we’ve been so scared of not having anything on our agenda. We forget that our bodies are the only bodies that are 100% carried throughout all of life with us. We are the only ones who truly know ourselves inside and out to a depth that no one could ever reach. Letting go is one of the hardest parts of being alone because it means that you have to be strong enough to value your own presence. But you had to cut them out because it was a toxic relationship.

Our need to self-love comes out eventually because it’s inescapable. We are unable to escape the fact that we need to take care of ourselves before we take care of anyone else. It is MORE THAN OK to text friends to tell them that you are in need of for time to yourself or to put away your phone for the rest of the night. It is not an inconvenience to take time for oneself; in fact, it’s crucial.

In the end, you truly are the only one that’s there for yourself so that might as well be honored.

It’s so relieving to say “its ok to not be ok” or “it’s ok that this sucks”. Because sometimes life does. Life has its ups but it definitely has its downs. But if you’re strong enough within to acknowledge a mean comment as meaningless or to not be devastated and beat yourself up when someone leaves, you have the key to success.

Having the key to success means being strong enough to understand that life is lemonade. There are many times that are sweet but there are also MANY times that life is bitter. That doesn’t mean that you did something wrong or that you need to analyze every little aspect of a relationship. It just means that you need to let go.

I believe in the strength of human ability to get through anything that is thrown our way. We are the mentally strongest beings on Earth because we are the deepest beings, as well. It is incredible to see how strong the mental muscle gets the more we use it and practice it. If we never practice our strength, it is harder to find. I promise it gets easier the more that it gets strengthened. It may not feel too easy now, but you’ll be thanking yourself later.