Give Me a Break!

    There are many kinds of people. The extroverts, who enjoy putting themselves out there and making connections with people. The introverts, who prefer to keep to themselves and participate in reflection instead of conversation. There are also many, many other types of people in between–there’s no strict classification for everyone. But I’m absolutely certain, whatever type of person you are, what you enjoy in life, that you cherish some amount of alone time, just like me.

    I love company, don’t get me wrong. Sometimes, nothing sounds more fun than going out to hang out with my friends or talking with my family. I may not be an extrovert, but having people around me can often make a boring day brighter. Other times, however, the last thing I want is to be around others. Whether I’m feeling sad or just mentally exhausted, it’s natural to want a break from friendly or talkative environments and just spend some time with your own thoughts. Often, the only way you can cope with sad thoughts is sitting alone and reflecting. It just takes understanding what your needs are at that moment in time.

    As for myself, my emotions and needs are constantly fluctuating. When I’m happy; yes, I’ll take the path of conversation and laughter to fit the mood. However, sadness is decidedly more complex. There’s a level of sadness where you want nothing more than for someone to ask you how you’re feeling–so you can open up and feel seen. On the other hand, there’s a more debilitating sadness that necessitates some alone time. No one’s sympathy or reassurance does any good in situations like this; releasing your feelings in private and self-reflecting is the way to go. That may sound a bit corny, but take this from someone with experience–sometimes, confronting your feelings does more than you know.

    Sometimes, having alone time isn’t about how I’m feeling. Sometimes, it’s just that I really need to be productive! It’s healthy to spend some time communicating with friends, but you need a good balance of socializing and solitude to finish whatever work you have left. Whoever says that it’s possible to talk and work at the same time and do a good job in both is either crazy or superhuman. The best work I ever get done is late at night, when my family is deep asleep and I finally have peaceful silence. For me, daytime is when I appease my extroverted side. I talk with my friends all day, text them out of school, and go to public activities. Basically, everything that involves other people. Then, at night, when I’m finally exhausted from hours of conversation, I get to sit in bed all alone. In that way, I suppose I’m somewhat of a vampire. Still, whether I’m doing work or just relaxing, that alone time is the perfect complement to the day’s social activities.

    I think I’ve achieved a somewhat successful balance of together and alone time. If anything, I could incorporate some more alone time into my schedule. Sometimes, nighttime isn’t very long–especially not when you’re inches away from closing your eyes and falling asleep. I’d like to be able to introduce more alone time into my life, especially earlier in the day, where I can be alert and make the most of it.

    For introverts, extroverts or neither–some alone time won’t do you any harm. I personally could never handle the exhaustion of constantly being around other people with no reprieve. Just like everything, social time is good in moderation. Make some space for some alone time: whether it’s for reflecting, coping with your emotions, doing work, or whatever floats your boat. I sure know I could use a lot more!