{"id":728,"date":"2014-01-21T01:14:04","date_gmt":"2014-01-21T01:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/everydayinspiration\/?p=728"},"modified":"2014-01-21T01:15:24","modified_gmt":"2014-01-21T01:15:24","slug":"the-joy-of-being-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/everydayinspiration\/2014\/01\/the-joy-of-being-alone.html","title":{"rendered":"The Joy of Being Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.\u201d – Ellen Burstyn<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Aloneness does not have to mean being lonely. There are simple, wonderful things you can enjoy about your solitude.<\/p>\n

Re-read a book from your childhood<\/strong> – Whether it\u2019s an elementary-level book or a high school novel, books from our past can be impactful in adulthood. The words will strike you differently. The meaning will hit you harder. The nostalgia juxtaposed with the new-found significance will have your heart and head bursting with joy.<\/p>\n

Practice a skill<\/strong> – Have you been telling yourself you will pick up guitar? Do you have good intentions to begin writing again? Are you interested in dancing? Free time can be practice time for you. There are few joys quite like proudly developing a new skill or hobby. Improve your sense of self and your self-worth<\/a> by sharpening that skill you\u2019ve always dreamed of honing.<\/p>\n

Try meditation<\/strong> – There are simple online guides for beginner\u2019s meditation. Some of the practices are so simple they can be done in five minutes at your job. The benefits of meditation<\/a> span from reducing stress and increasing relaxation to overcoming fears and broadening self-awareness.<\/p>\n

Write a 6-word story<\/strong> – From a dedicated twitter feed, to submission-ran blogs, to the published book Not Quite What I Was Planning<\/em>, six-word stories have gained quite the popularity. The idea is to create a summary of your life or what you think your \u201cstory\u201d is, using only six words. Succinct doesn\u2019t mean easy though. You\u2019ll get your wheels turning with this one. Here are two examples: \u201cBetter than I could have imagined\u201d, and \u201cI run looking forward, never back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enjoy a new food<\/strong> – Spice up your solitude by getting adventurous with your meals. You don\u2019t even have to leave the house, if you\u2019re not in the mood for the dining alone experience in a restaurant. A quick trip to the market and you can retrieve a few ingredients needed to make yourself a new and exciting dish. Browsing online recipes will yield you a meal that will fit your schedule, budget, and tastes.<\/p>\n

About Alex Blackwell<\/a><\/h5>\n

Alex Blackwell<\/strong> is the author of Letting Go: 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender<\/a><\/strong>, which includes 10 free Peace and Balance tools<\/a><\/strong>.
\nWeb<\/a> | Inspiring Things <\/a> | Free eBook: How to Love Consciously<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.\u201d – Ellen Burstyn Aloneness does not have to mean being lonely. There are simple, wonderful things you can enjoy about your solitude. Re-read a book from your childhood – Whether it\u2019s an elementary-level book or a high school novel, books from our…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":554,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-728","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Joy of Being Alone - Everyday Inspiration<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/everydayinspiration\/2014\/01\/the-joy-of-being-alone.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Joy of Being Alone - Everyday Inspiration\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cWhat a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.\u201d – Ellen Burstyn Aloneness does not have to mean being lonely. 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