The gift of solitude

This past weekend, I gave myself the gift of solitude. It's a rare occurrence for me lately. There was a time when I would get a weekend to myself here and there. It would happen often enough that it even made me feel lonely sometimes. Especially in the first few years after my relationship with my daughter's father ended. But ever since my mom moved in and now that my daughter rarely goes to visit her dad, I don't often get the chance to be alone. I usually have one or both of them with me.

This weekend was different. My mom stayed at my sister's house and my daughter stayed at a friend's house. So I had the weekend all to myself. Normally, I would've tried to make plans. I would've had a friend or a date come over. Or I would've gone out on a date or with a friend. But not this past weekend. This past weekend was all about solitude.

I've been letting stress get the better of me. I've been neglecting my health. Many things have happened. Joys. Pains. Happy surprises. Disappointments. And a whole lotta stress! All this keeping up with life has worn me out a little and I needed a break from all of it. So I gave it to myself.

I was happy to let myself off the hook. I didn't want to put any pressure on myself to get a lot of life into my weekend. I didn't want to make myself busy just for the sake of being busy. I just let myself be. I don't always have to be achieving.

What did I do with all of this solitude? I watched movies. I wrote. I went couch shopping. I thought. I rested. I napped on the couch. I tended to my back yard. My colleague and friend Paul lent me his weed trimmer on condition that I mention him in my blog. He said that by lending me the trimmer he's helping me be a minimalist. Yes you are Paul! :)

I was still connected though. I talked on the phone with my awesome friend Christy, I texted and I emailed. I may even have made a freelance translation business deal...

So there you have it. A weekend alone on purpose. Alone but not lonely. I highly recommend giving yourself the gift of solitude once in a while! Who knows, by slowing life down a little, something wonderful might happen...

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