Ways to Protect your Personal Space

We live in a world of constant contact. New apps spring up every day, encouraging us to keep in touch with friends, family, and even strangers we admire online… We often see other people living incredibly interesting lives on the surface, and we often feel that we need to reflect on their success…so we keep staring at the screen, watching and waiting to see what other people will do next.

All this constant contact can sometimes be exhausting and sometimes intimidating because the truth is that the more we compare ourselves to others, the less likely we are to feel happy and confident about the things in front of us. Insecurity is often referred to as FOMO.. For those who have not heard of it before, FOMO (fear of missing out) is an extreme fear we experience when we feel that we are lost in some way.

What FOMO ultimately does for many of us is to encourage us to constantly check our social media, which we usually think will alleviate our anxiety about missing something. Research shows that our continued connection with social media is actually bad for us when it comes to our health and well-being, and in a world like ours, it’s scary to think about it. It is important that we reduce the likelihood of us experiencing FOMO by learning how to be alone.

Unfortunately, modern society has established some negative correlation with the idea of ​​being alone. Parents sent them to their room to sit quietly as punishment for bad behavior. It is not welcome to stay at home alone on a Friday or Saturday night. You will be considered a “loser” if you do this. We have been programmed to believe that loneliness is our enemy. We also mix up the ideas of being alone versus being lonely. Being alone does not have to lead to one being engulfed in loneliness. Although other people are often present, many people still feel lonely.

Every year, Bill Gates spends two weeks alone in a cabin in the woods. He did this to avoid noise, read books, reflect on his progress, and engage in more in-depth creative thinking.

The benefits of loneliness

Research shows that solitude has several long-term benefits.

· It allows you to learn more about yourself and find your own voice. In a world where information is at your fingertips and everyone can share opinions, it is sometimes very beneficial to believe that you have the answer you are looking for. Everything you need to develop is the habit of looking inward and talking to yourself. Solitude becomes a means to learn more about your identity as a person.

· It enables you to feel comfortable with your identity. The more you learn to avoid external influences, the more comfortable and confident you will feel its authenticity. In turn, this confidence will be projected into your future decisions.

· Boost your creativity. A recent study found that people who like to be alone tend to be more creative. It allows me to rewind, reflect, and more importantly, let my imagination wander around. Most of the time, when one wanders in nature, he is likely to get the best ideas.

· Spending time alone provides you with a chance to plan your life ahead. We plan our business meeting and next holiday. At work, there are quarterly business evaluations and semi-annual performance evaluations. We plan and reflect for work and entertainment, but why don’t we do the same for our dreams, ambitions, and personal lives? Take a break from your hurried steps and reflect on whether you are living a life that is true to yourself and your goals.

· Improve your mental health. Research shows that people who learn to find comfort in loneliness tend to be happier, have lower stress levels, and are less likely to suffer from depression.

· Cultivate empathy for others. When you have time to reflect, you can increase your compassion and compassion for others. Instead of spending time with your go-to friend-circle and family, it is better to spend some productive time for yourself.

· You can broaden your horizons, open your heart to accept new ideas, and prevent the so-called “group mentality” where people are severely influenced by those around them.

· Improve emotional intelligence. Spending time alone can also increase your emotional intelligence. Why? You have more time to reflect on your feelings and improve your self-awareness. When we are busy, we sometimes act or react lightly. Give yourself some time so you can clarify your emotions and determine why you feel this way.

· It can help you reduce negative emotions. Sometimes you don’t want to live in other people’s mess, or you don’t want others to scold you for your sake. When you live alone, eat out alone, or spend time with yourself, everything is in your control. No one will judge you, tell you what to do or make you nervous. Less negative leads to more positive, which improves mood and general temperament. It’s hard to make you nervous, so try to spend some time alone and see how it feels.

How to spend your “solitary time”?

You don’t have to go to a cabin in the woods or fly to Iceland to learn to spend time alone. You only need 10 minutes a day to think about your ideas alone. If it is too difficult to start. Set aside 10 minutes every Sunday night. Is the task too difficult to complete? Busy to steal 10 minutes? Then you should definitely do this.

Here is how you spend time with yourself:

1. Meditation. This is a habit that is slowly improving my life. I swear by meditation. It can calm you down and enhance your concentration. I meditate for 12 minutes every morning. I sit up straight, set a timer, and meditate silently. It was difficult at first, but over time you will like it so much that it becomes the mainstay of your daily life.

2. Keep a diary. I write a diary once a week. For me, this is the best way to talk to my thoughts. When you write, pour out your emotions. Born to be real. Let go of everything, good and bad, and pay attention to how you feel relaxed every time you write in your diary.

3. Set goals. Take control of your life. If you don’t take the time to think alone and ask yourself “what do I want to achieve this year”, you will eventually lead a life of autonomous driving. You need a goal, a destination to fight for. Take a moment to plan the life you want to go.

4. Reflect on your goals. Take time to think about your progress alone. Do you follow the plan you made? Are you achieving your goals?

5. Pay attention to your emotions. Being alone is the door to personal care. Register yourself like the one you love.

Being Alone is the key to improving self-awareness, and then opening the door to change. It’s not easy to be able to think about your own ideas for a long time, but in an era of constant social contact, our mental health must be disconnected frequently. Use your mind to look inward and participate in the meditation experience.

You can sit quietly. You can keep a diary. You can plan your week in advance. You can take a walk in nature. It doesn’t matter what you spend your time alone. Most importantly, you develop the habit of embracing loneliness and inviting more people into your life. You will learn more about yourself and understand your emotions better. In short, it is the best form of personal care. Remember, as the saying goes, you cannot pour out of an empty glass. Take care of yourself first.

~ Deepansh Pratap