I’m a loner. To some, I may be weird or awkward, and because of the social norms that have been ingrained in us, I still apologize about it to this day. I used to think very often that I was a lonely and sad person. However, I have come to the realization that I’m just being “me” and that I don’t have to apologize for any of it.

What I have learned is:

• Being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely. I have learned to embrace solitude and that, even if I’m bored, I can find something to do on my own and not always rely on friends.
• To rely on myself... I’ve learned to rely on myself, even in the darkest moments of my life. I’ve learned that I am my closest friend and that I can lift myself up, even if no one is there.
• I have learned to appreciate who I was and who I am now. The person I was has changed and evolved into something beautiful, and I love it from the bottom of my heart.
• I cannot do well in friend groups. I’m not the type to always be with groups of friends; it makes me really uncomfortable.
• I like being alone. Being alone is not a bad thing. It helps you to think about yourself and put things into perspective.
• You can make decisions without much influence. Being a loner means you can make your own decisions and be really independent without people having much influence on you.
• You become more cautious of others. Since your decisions are mostly based on you, you are therefore cautious of others and the decisions you make concerning them.
• Being a loner is awesome, no matter how people perceive it to be.
• I’m more of an introvert, and that’s okay.
• I’ve also become a stronger person because of sticking to my personality. I learned that if I love my personality, then I am able to love my whole being and be a strong and confident person.

So if you’re a loner, know that there is nothing wrong with who you are. There is also nothing wrong with being alone, as it doesn’t mean you’re lonely.