I have always considered myself as a very social person, making friends, knowing someone or putting myself in someone else’s shoe to understand their perspective always seemed easy and in fact is something I am good at, but then I have to admit, “I need my cave time”. When I say – “Cave” time it means I need some time off from all the social activities, away from everyone without any information about anyone or anything except myself. Few find it weird, but it helps me grow from being good to better.
“Solitude has long been linked with creativity, spirituality, and intellectual might” caught my attention while I was reading an article on “The Power of Lonely” published by The Boston Globe. Yes, it is true! I have experienced the creative side of me emerging in various forms when I spend my time alone with a piece of paper and pencil to sketch. Solo time, is good for the brain as well as the spirit. There is a huge difference between feeling lonely and being alone, one should first try to understand what they are feeling. The feeling of loneliness comes when you feel you have no one to be with or when you feel left out. Being alone is entirely different; it is the choice that you make to stay away from everyone or the social life to spend that time on oneself.
Aloneness doesn’t have to be bad. For instance, I like to spend sometime alone, by exploring new place, pencil sketching, crocheting, reading any self-helps or do anything things I feel like doing at that point of time. This gives me my space to know where I am & what I want to do in my life. Other day, with few invites to meet friends and plans for outing over the weekend happening, I started to feel encroached. The whole month was busy with loads of meetings, parties and long working hour, so I decided to take my day off this Saturday and disappear from everything and everyone for few hours.
I have been trying to stay away from all for a while, deactivating FB was my first step; but that dint help thanks to WhatsApp. This time I turned off my phones left them at home, took my bike out just started riding and taking turns just like that, I ended up going to a new place which I had never tried going alone. From there, I had to head to Jayanagar to pick up few items; this is when I started missing my smart phone and wondered how I would reach the place when I don’t have a GPS. Well, it din’t end there!
I parked my bike and started walking; I reached the destination with the help of few auto drivers and others. I probably walked for an hour to reach the place and another hour to walk back to my bike. In those 2 hours, I smiled at many strangers, spoke to them; saw what’s happening around. It is then I realized how smartphones are keeping us away from people; ads quote “Connecting People” but they are in fact “Disconnecting People”. We spend more time in the Virtual world than with those around us. I have now decreased the use of smartphone to an extent where I don’t go online unless it is inevitable. It feels peaceful.
This was just one of my experience of Solitude, my friends always say “If she is picked up a pencil to sketch, then for sure she is making a important decision in her life.” Well, yes! That is true. With all my concentration just on piece of art and thoughts running in background, it will always help me make the best decision.
There are few benefits of spending time alone collected from few of the articles I read on Solitude:
1. Introduces you to a simple life
2. Allows you to keep your mind clear
3. Helps you maintain a more accurate perception
4. You will learn things about yourself that you couldn’t otherwise
5. Relieves Anxiety
6. Forces you to become less dependent on others
7. Your life becomes more efficient
8. You slow down
9. You remove yourself from unnecessary information
10. You’ll come to accept that you’re enough to make yourself happy
11. You’ll save money
12. Get introduced to your weaknesses
13. Allow you to set your priorities straight
14. Allows you to stay more focused
15. Makes you accept that you’re alone in this life – And makes you okay with it
Spend more time with yourself and only yourself, and soon you will realize that as truth
– Charitha
C. A. Stubborn Pen 
Considering that it's not always easy to pen down certain thoughts, you have done a good job with this. I liked reading what you have written and I would definitely read more of what you write. It's nice to get to know this side of you Cherry. -Vidya
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The Kudos the writer in you deserves is not far :). Well written .
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Thanks a lot Vidya 🙂 will keep you posted with the new updates 🙂
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Bharat, Thanks for your humble note! your feedbacks and corrections is all that can get the writer in me come out 🙂
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