Being alone can be a scary concept. Whether your definition of alone means not being in a relationship, living by yourself or simply just being one with your thoughts, all of these things have the potential to create anxiety. You might ask yourself why you're spending so much time alone, or why you couldn't manage to find yourself in a relationship right before a global pandemic took over the world. You might be thinking more about the people that have crossed your path and why they are no longer by your side. You may also be questioning why you made a decision to be alone. In these trying times of separation and lack of human contact, it is important to remember that you are not alone, per se. You're simply on your own for the time being. In my experience, I've learned more about myself being on my own these past few months than I have in years, and I have to say - it can be a very empowering feeling.

Regardless of your circumstances, we are all aware that COVID-19 has made it anything but easy to spend time with friends and loved ones. Social distancing and businesses being shut down created feelings of isolation for many of us back in March, and once the weather broke, we were able to start safely reconnecting with others this summer. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but seasons come and go, and fall is on the horizon. Given that there is no vaccine for COVID-19 at this time, it is realistic to think that we might be subject to similar regulations being enforced in the coming months as they were in March. If you're already worrying about being alone, try your best to face your fear head on. If it hasn't been already, being on your own could result in an enlightening experience for you. You may learn more about yourself than you thought you would.

Though I have been busy in my personal life these past few months, there were many emotions, challenges and complications that I encountered on my own. After taking time to journal, engage in self care, and ultimately reflect on my life before COVID-19, I came to a realization that is slowly changing my life. After not being around people for some time, I really began to think about how some of my relationships and friendships had been impacting me. Surely, it's a scary thing to do. While being alone, you almost feel like you are forced into thinking about these types of things. Riding the wave of emotions and being able to figure out who brings you joy in life and who brings you unhappiness is not always something that you can do when you are surrounded by the people in question. For me, my biggest takeaway from spending time on my own is that, from this point forward, I am going to work on matching a person's energy.

I have come to realize that there were certain people I chose to surround myself with for a very long time who never quite matched my energy. One of my greatest attributes is also one of my greatest flaws. When I care about a person, I give everything of myself to that relationship or friendship. It is something I have tried to work on in the past, but after being on my own, I've realized that it is not a quality you work on. Giving your all to a person can be a beautiful experience, but it can also be extremely damaging if that person does not reciprocate. Instead of wondering what I could have done differently to make a person want me in their life as much as I wanted them in mine, I am simply working to change the way I interact with people. If a person matches my energy, I am grateful to have them in my life. If they do not, it is important to remember that there are plenty of people out there who will. After all, if someone isn't matching your energy in any given aspect, why do you want them to be part of your life in the first place?