All over the internet, there are articles and blogs about why you should take a solo trip or why you should eat dinner alone, and I actually fully agree with these things, but the problem is, many of us are not at a place financially or it seems a bit too scary to do these things. However, there is huge value in the concept behind these ideas. The idea is that being alone, with no help from familiar people, pushes you to be resourceful and creates a sense of respect and admiration for yourself. You gain confidence in ways you never thought possible and you become very okay with who you are. In a completely non-egotistical way, you fall in love with yourself. The benefits of alone time are huge, and the best way to get to know yourself is to start with small, daily habits.

You may be thinking, “Oh, I definitely already do this.” Chances are, you probably spend OVER 60 minutes each day with just yourself, whether it be in the car, at the gym, watching TV, or running errands. However, this is not the type of alone time we’re talking about here. No. I’m talking about real, set aside, alone time, an intentional part of the day where it’s just you and you-no distractions. Think of it as a date. When you’re dating someone, you give them your full attention and you make time with them a priority, so it’s really a no-brainer that the best way to get to know yourself and fall more in love with you, is, to date yourself.

Alright, so if I’m not DOING something, what am I supposed to do? How do you spend your alone time? It will look different for everyone-but it should be something that you enjoy, and something where you can allow yourself to think—or not think at all. For me, it’s a daily walk. I either put on my “Peppy Pop Jams” playlist or listen to a podcast and just take a walk with myself. Or, I grab my journal and sit outside and write to myself. But I take time apart from the world’s expectations of who I should be, and I allow myself to just exist how I want to exist. I usually try to find a somewhat secluded place and allow my thoughts to either wander or to just rest.

And if someone saw me walking on my “alone time” walks, they would probably think I’m the most confident person in the world. Because, the concept is true! I feel like I own the world when I devote this time to myself. In the midst of the music or podcast, I usually find that by the end, I have some sort of unintentional mantra running through my head about why I love who I am. And again, I don’t say that in an egotistical way—but rather as a self-confident, driven, and content human being.

So why 60 minutes? This really isn’t a set amount of time—you don’t need to set a timer. But, the point is, you should allow yourself time to unwind from the pressures of the day and fully immerse yourself in your “me time” Yet, you also need to realize that you live in reality, so you can’t spend all day with just your thoughts. Find what works for you, and go with it!